Unlikely
by thebookunfinished
Summary: Being written as "Atonement"
1. Chapter One

_"I know you tried to cry, but your nerve endings wilted away. I'll haunt you in your sleep."- I'll haunt you in your sleep- Optimist Park. _

It was miserable outside, the rain pounding against the pavement so hard that the dark haired figure couldn't even hear himself think. Not that he wanted to hear the thoughts in his head anyway, so perhaps that was the reason he stood with his hands jammed in his pockets, staring at the empty streets. His dark violet eyes were glassy and lifeless and his once prided hair hung limp and straight over his them.

Had he even ever noticed how miserable this city is?

The once promising streets he prowled seemed blank. Like all those people before him, he had his moment in time, his flash where he was brighter than everyone, but like the lightning, was faded and replaced by someone else.

He hadn't even won the match. He was to be forgotten after an unfinished round of pro-bending and man with haunting eyes searching for vengeance behind an expressionless mask. His dreams of being written in history books as the greatest Pro-Bender of all time were ripped from his grasp in the cruelest way possible.

This is how she found him. She didn't go looking for him, she didn't even want to see him when she spotted the dark figure just _standing_ in the rain. She owed him nothing, they weren't friends, hell, they didn't even have enough time to really become enemies.

She wasn't thinking about going over to the young man, but she had a hard time believing it was him. Maybe that wasn't it, for after what happened, she should have known he'd be like this. It was more of an impulse- she's always been impulsive- and there was something about the situation that didn't appeal to her, but called for the avatar and she could not deny that part of her.

She walked up to him slowly, as if he'd be startled and disappear. She was sort of hoping he would, so she wouldn't have to face him, but she had never backed down from anything before and she sure as hell wasn't going to start with Tahno.

He noticed her approaching and prayed to the spirits that she be struck by lightning. That she would face some ending right now that was more sticky and painful than the fate of fading into gray that was set before him. Still, he couldn't muster the strength to glare, so he simply turned his lifeless violet eyes to her face hoping that the blank look would persuade her to leave. He should have known the spirits wouldn't grant him any favours.

She had never seen him without an expression- they always made his face seem so sharp and weird, his creepy sinewy smile made her shiver- and it seemed to intrigue her. He almost seemed handsome, with a straight nose, high cheek-bones and square jaw. But perhaps she was just picking up on Mako's appeal since he shared these features with the dark teen in front of her. But, maybe he would have been attractive in his own right if it weren't for the empty expression did nothing to hide the malice she could see behind it. It sort of flowed off him in dark waves that he hoped would pierce her.

"Hey." She stated, feeling dumb for starting out with such a lame response. More than anything, it was there game of wits that had caused them to become rivals. He was snarky and she was proud and those two things clashed into some wonderful word battles. Hell, it was almost beautiful the way he could come up with these comment that would undermine her and get right into her skin.

"Really, that's what you started with." He snorted, turning his pale eyes back to the rain. "I can't contain my excitement for such a riveting conversation." _Just leave. _He thought. _I can't even look at you. _

It was then she notice, he was paler than usual, his voice flatter and his hair was stringy. She caught herself holding back a snort that _she_ looked better than the guy who spent much too long curling his hair.

"Well, it's better than how you look right now." She smirked, eyeing up the soaked teen. To her dismay there wasn't even a flash of embarrassment across his face.

In fact, it was as if he hadn't heard her at all. He just kept staring into the rain.

She hated to be ignored.

After a long moment, he turned his glassy eyes towards her, his expression still as blank. With a slow inhale he stared straight into her eyes.

"Just leave."

His voice was so flat she couldn't tell if it was a demand or a plea.

He was just the shell of the annoying boy she'd met in the restaurant, flaunting around while his deep raspy voice made her blood boil.

But what really struck her as she stared at the teen, refusing to leave just to annoy him, was that he was here because of the same reason she was.

Well, sort of.

She was out in the rain, standing next to the lifeless teen since she couldn't stay any longer on Air Temple Island. After another sleepless night with the picture of dark, haunting eyes from behind an expressionless mass, gleaming as hands reached for her with cruel words keeping her up, she felt as if she couldn't breathe and had to leave the stuffy room. Now, as it was nearing dawn she found herself next to the very boy who lived her nightmare.

Nervously she hugged herself, staring out into the rain beside him. How could she stand here and antagonize him when he had been through her greatest fear, faced the only person who made her feel like a weak little girl. _If anything,_ a whisper echoed in her head _he's stronger than you are. _

The sun had risen now, that she was sure of, but it could not be seen behind the thick clouds of rain. The two teens stood side by side, though worlds apart, long before any of the members of Republic City began to wake for their duties.

After a heavy, long moment, she glanced back up at him. "At the match, I couldn't help but realize that you are an amazing waterbender." She admitted, not knowing what she hoped to accomplish by flattering the boy whose ego is the size of the City itself.

Maybe what she was hoping for was the emotion that flickered behind his face. Pure anger quickly died out to pain, which gave way to bitter resentment in a matter of seconds.

"Was."

"Pardon?"

"I _was_ an amazing waterbender." He closed his eyes, his head hanging even lower. "None of that matters now. If you came to dazzle me with your pathetic attempts at small talk, forget it Avatar. Find someone else to preach to. I could _really_ care less about what you have to say."

She didn't doubt that. He wasn't really one to lie. Gloat, brag, insult and taunt, but not lie.

"You _are_ an amazing waterbender. Those things can't be taken away. Bending can be taken away, but the spirit behind it, the skill, the memory of how it felt rushing through your veins; Amon can't take those things away from us." She shivered alongside him at the sound of his name, and both looked around as if he'd spring into the morning down pour and take them both down.

He did not brighten at her words though.

"Who are you trying to convince? I'm sure your dear Fire Ferrets need the pep talk more than I do." He growled, looked away into the rain again.

To that she had nothing to say.

Sighing, she turned around to head back out into the rain. She didn't even knew why she had tried to cheer him up; why she had come over here in the first place. They were worlds apart, and nothing she could say would fix anything. There was nothing broken to begin with. There was nothing even there. They were simply two strangers, and the only thing they had in common- Pro-Bending- was now lost to them together. She had taken but one step when suddenly a voice that sounded nothing like her own whispered across her mind.

"_If we knew each other back then__, __do you think we could have been friends too?"_

Stopping in her tracks she turned back towards the teen. He lifted and eyebrow at her sudden change of mind, the expression almost reminding her of the teen she had met briefly before.

"I'm scared of him too." She whispered, casting her bright eyes to the ground. "He terrifies me. The way he seems to haunt every dream, seems to lurk in every corner."

She had no idea why she had said this to her would-have-been rival when she could hardly admit this weakness to her caring, airbending master.

Perhaps, because he could relate. They were to only two who had any sort of private conversation with the monster.

"But, although I wish I never have to see him again, it is my job to protect the people of Republic City and bring balance to the world. Although I don't know how to give you your bending back Tahno, I promise you I'll avenge you because of it."

He clenched his fists at her words but once again remained silent. His eyes were unreadable and were still focused on the damn rain. Grunting, she turned from him again.

She felt her eyes water in rejection, which she found wholly ridiculous. She didn't care what he thought, but just for a fleeting moment, she thought she had broken through, that she had made a friend.

Since coming to this city, Korra realized she's _really_ bad at making friends.

"No you won't." His voice was clear as it cut through her, interrupting her thoughts.

"Excuse me?" She snapped. For spirits sake she just said she'd avenge him and he doesn't believe her.

"No. You. Won't." He repeated, making each word its own sentence as if it would help her understand. Unbeknownst to the avatar, _something _had begun to creep back into his voice.

"You think I'm lying?" She screeched.

"No. With your mediocre waterbending, you won't get a chance to avenge me. I'll be _heartbroken_ when you can't make good on your promise. So to _save_ myself from the _agony_, maybe I'll lend you a hand." He smirked, the creepy pointed smile returning to his face. Korra's had gone red as she glared at him, reading to turn the rain into a river to drown the jerk.

"Are you insulting me?" She growled, and if it were anyone else, they might have cowered.

"Yes. But I'm also giving you another chance to take me up on my offer. You, know, to show you how a real pro bends."

"What are you saying?" She snapped, letting him get to her again with his clever words.

"I'm offering to help you improve, dumb-dumb. I _am_ an amazing waterbender after all." He now fully sneered at her, but she was so damn awestruck that he had offered to _help_ her that she couldn't lift her jaw off the ground.

"Really?" She questioned, not wanting to fall for some cruel game.

"Did I stutter?" He rolled his eyes and started to saunter towards the restaurant where they first met, hands on his hips as he crossed the street.

He turned back to the girl who was still standing dumbstruck on the opposite side of the road, the girl who had stood for the longest time in the pouring rain beside him on some sick avatar duty to make him feel better.

He really didn't like her, but hell, the girl is the only chance he has at making the masked jerk pay for what he did to him, and she could use all the help she could get.

"Hurry up!" He called back, "You're Sifu is hungry and you're buying him breakfast." He almost laughed aloud at her enraged expression but noticed that she dutifully crossed the street after him.

He ran his hand through his hair and re-popped his soaked collar, bringing back the champion she had seen before.

Smirking he enter the shop as if he hadn't been standing the rain at all. Even if he had to _lower_ himself to work with the good-for-nothing Fire Ferrets, like hell Tahno was going to let that mask bastard take away his chance at glory. He'd make those history books one way or another.

* * *

Just my idea of what would happen if Tahno gets his bending taken away and Korra takes pity on him. I think they could relate with their fear of Amon. Besides, I think he'd become a great character in their group whose miserable and snarky, making Mako and Bolin's blood boil.

Thinking about continuing it, Maybe? Thoughts my dearies?


	2. Chapter Two

_I cannot believe how many people favourited this story! I checked my email at it was filled with alerts of you beautiful people responding to Unlikely as well as Last. I cannot show enough gratitude. _

_I was thinking about continuing this, but after I saw the clip from 107 The Aftermath where Korra talks to Tahno at the station- a very similar situation to what I wrote- I had to continue my story arch. Hopefully I will get to get into the meat of what I think they're interactions could be like. _

* * *

It was just after dinner when Bolin walked to his regular hangout, whistling a happy tune while Pabu sat on his shoulders. He was in the process of petting the ferret on the head when he tripped over someone asleep against the monument. Looking down, the earthbender spotted a familiar face.

"Korra! What in spirit's name are you doing sleeping here? It's not safe you know! Jeepers, you could have got snatched up by the Equalists and Mako and I would have never known."

The girl in questioned turned two bleary, tired eyes up to his, blinking slowly and dazzling him with their soft blue-ness. He felt the colour as it rose to his cheeks. Although the avatar seemed to have feelings for his brother, Bolin couldn't deny that his heartbeat a little faster whenever Korra was around. Now, the tired girl looked up at him in such a way that made his throat go all tight and his stomach to do flips.

"Bolin," she whispered. "Please get me home."

Shaking his head to clear it from the inappropriate thoughts, he offered her is hand and swiftly pulled her off the concrete. Steadying her, the two began to walk towards the Bay.

"What happened to you today? You look terrible." He stated, worry thick in his voice. Korra's eyes seem to flash red for a moment before hardening into ice-like daggers.

She should have left him standing in the rain. Hell, he probably wishes she would have left him in the rain.

First off, he forced her to pay for his breakfast at Narook's Seaweed Noodlery during which he spent the entire time glaring at her or demanding that she order another round of noodles. Then, after practically exhausting the allowance Tenzin had given her, her threw her a wink, tossed yuan in the air and told her to _'get herself something nice.'_

She almost burnt down the noodlery.

Next, he complained about his hair, so he made her walk almost _half way across the damn city_ to go to his barber because _'no one else will do.'_ He then proceeded to take the rest of the morning browsing through the hair products to purchase, finally settling on the one's _he always buys._

She almost burnt down the salon.

When it was noon, he dragged her to a Future Industries to view the latest Satomobile. Except, of course, there was a line to buy tickets to the showing, but he was too tired to stand in line, so he found a comfortable spot on a bench while she stood for more than _half an hour_ to purchase their tickets. When she finally came to meet him at his seat, _he_ complained about having the wait so long before entering the show. After them going on about all the little pieces that go into the machine into Korra swore her ears were bleeding, he exclaimed that he didn't really like the new model, any proceeded to complain about the waste of time _she_ had caused them.

She almost killed him.

Finally, buy late afternoon he proclaimed he was too tired to do anything else today, made her walk him to the Central City Station so he could board his train. After telling her she needed to learn better patience, he boarded his subway and zipped away home to sleep.

She should have known this was a bad idea.

She sat under the statue of Fire Lord Zuko, not a yuan in her pocket, tired, frustrated with a throbbing headache and she found herself praying to the fiery old monarch for patience.

She was praying to hot-headed Fire Lord _Zuko_ for patience. She had not only hit rock bottom, she had dug a whole and reached a whole _new _level. But he was the nearest statue to pray to, and she figured he had done a pretty amazing job learning patience in his years as Fire Lord that there must be some magic he could pass onto her.

She was an optimist after all.

After moments of unusual prayer, the young avatar fell asleep, having the strangest dream about the old Fire Lord eating Tahno shaped noodles for breakfast. She was more than happy when she woke to Bolin's shining green eyes and cheerful smile.

So much better than that stupid pointy smirk and cold violet eyes.

She should have left him in the spirits damned rain.

By the time the two teens had reached the Bay, Bolin kindly paid for her ferry ticket, helped his friend on the boat and dutifully waved goodbye on the shore until he could no longer make out the shape of the lovely girl with the big blue eyes.

Sighing, he headed towards home wonder what the hell she meant when she muttered about different ways to cook noodles under her breath. They ways she was describing sounded ineffective to him, he didn't really know anyone who liked 'greasy faced pretty boy noodles' and why anyone would eat them burnt as crisply as she was stating.

Whatever, he still liked her.

Arriving at the apartment, he found his brother reading the paper on the couch, legs prompt up on the armrest and body flat against the rest, muttering to himself about pro-bending and the lies the newspaper spreads.

"Hey bro." The earthbender called, as Pabu scampered off his should to curl up on the firebender's lap.

"Hey Bo. Where you been?"

"The Station. Met Korra there, helped her get home. I tell you bro, she was looking worse for wear."

His brother snapped up into a vertical position faster than Bolin had ever seen him outside the area. Pabu chirped at him angrily before taking off, probably to sleep on the earthbender's bed.

"Is she okay?" He stated quickly, before catching himself. Coughing into his fist he tried to relax his shoulders and look nonchalant. "I mean, she wasn't in trouble or anything, right?"

The smile slipped from Bolin's face. Although he loved his brother dearly- more than anyone on the planet- and this was not the first time they liked the same girl, he could help be resent the fact that this girl, one he really _really_ liked, liked Mako more and he was doing nothing about it. He had the most fun, beautiful, perfect girl in the world wishing to be with him, and he wouldn't date her because he thought it made more _sense_ for him to be with Asami.

Not that he didn't like Asami, but that is a whole different issue.

"She's fine. Had a rough day she said."

"I wonder what happened?"

"I wouldn't know. But, the girl has got a lot on her plate right now. She _is_ the avatar after all."

"Yeah, yeah." The firebender muttered. "I just wish she'd ask us for help sometimes. She is so adamant when it comes to making us accept her help but she can never ask for it in return." He brought his fingers up to pinch the bridge of his nose, mutter under his breath about how stubborn she is. Bolin couldn't help but agree.

But as frustrating as she is, she still makes his stomach go all jittery.

* * *

The dark teen arrived at his apartment, his mood dropping back to melancholy now that he was void of a distraction. Although the avatar was not the first person he wanted to spend his time with, her hot-headed reactions in contrast to his rather mellow demeanor offered him great amusement throughout the day, and he found himself pushing to come up with more situations to watch her fight her violent responses with barely-there patience.

But, in his defence, he really did need to get that hair product.

Slowly, he walked towards the kitchen, noting again how rarely he used it. He never ate in, always out with is boys, Ming and Shaozu, and various ladies, most of which came and went so quickly he couldn't remember names or faces. Whenever he was here, there would be loud, laughing conversations in the living room, and always everyone's eyes on him.

Did anyone even see him anymore?

Tahno absent-mindedly turned on the sink, watching the water pour out of the tap in a continuous stream. Shaking off his depression, he turned his focus to the tap. All his energy concentrated on the water, begging it to call out to him as it once did, begging it to allow him to reach it. His hollow veins yearned to remember the feeling of control, his head yelled out for the feeling of power, but his aching heart yearned for the connection, the being part of something more spiritual than he even understood.

If he could get his bending back now, he would become more spiritual than one of those silly frock wearing monks.

He promises.

He lifts his hands in position, ready to strike, but the water doesn't move.

The stream doesn't even falter.

His entire body cries out. A sob escapes his lips as he tries again and again.

"Please! Spirits please!" Screaming the dark teen slams his hand against the tap closing himself off from the water once more. Huddled over he watched as he couldn't even stop tears from falling from his eyes.

He no longer had any control.

He hated that bastard. How could he take something that made up fifty percent of who he is? What right did he think he has to deal out '_justice'_?

He was a dead man in Tahno's books, and he'd kill him the old fashion way without bending. Just to smite him. Just to tell him how benders took '_everything'_ from him and now the very movement he fought for would be his downfall.

But he couldn't do it without the stupid avatar's help. He wasn't lying when he said he teach her how to bend properly. Sure, she'd be amazing if she was fighting 70 years ago, but this is Republic city, and her style was so out of date it made him sick.

His sobbing abruptly to hysterical laugher when he thought about the avatar's face when he insulted her. Her eyebrows shot up off her forehead, somewhere into her hairline while her jaw moved the exact opposite way. Her face turned Fire Nation red and her mouth quickly moved into the funniest scowl he'd ever seen, her eyebrows twitching from somewhere in her pony tail.

He doubled over laughing, his left hand clutching the sink while his right clutched his ribs as he relayed her entire array of frustrated and angry expression in his head, each one more comically different from the last. He had never seen a girl with so many expressions for one emotion. She truly was a different species.

And somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered if Amon took his sanity too, for he had never laughed like this before.

* * *

_It felt really good to continue that. I am pretty sure that if this chapter gets the same kind of feedback as the last, I will continue this for sure._


	3. Chapter Three

_Everyone keeps saying that I have nailed Tahno's personality. **This makes me so happy I could tearbend.** Thanks for all the positive feedback._

* * *

Korra was beginning to believe the only times she'd ever find Tahno is when she least wanted to see anyone, let alone him.

She was running back from the brother's now empty apartment, fighting off the feelings of rejection. Once again Asami Sato had gotten to Mako before she could.

She had it all planned out. She arranged for them to stay on Air Temple Island with her. Mako wouldn't be able to avoid her then. They'd eat meals together, do chores together and he'd finally begin to act upon his feelings for her. Korra was so excited as she rushed up the stairs, calling out to the boys only to see their lack-luster responses.

Asami had beaten her.

In retrospect Korra realized she _never_ lost before.

But she was also beginning to wonder if she should stop looking at Mako's affections like a game. Perhaps, it wasn't a challenge, but something else entirely.

Regardless, she knew she'd had lost.

She practically ran into Tahno.

"Whoa, avatar. Where's the fire?" His snide comment made her lash out, blasting fire in his general direction.

Luckily for Tahno his reflexes hadn't been taken, quickly he ducted under the blaze, gripping her arm tightly and pulling her up so she was forced to meet his eye.

"What in Yue's name do you think you're doing? Is this how you treat your Sifus? Spirits you almost burnt off my hair!"The teen yelled, staring straight into her eyes.

It would have been comically since he cared more about the dark locks than his face, but she couldn't stand the idea of him sensing her sadness.

"Forget it! I don't need your help if you're going to make rude comments all day! Forget you Tahno!"

_Forget you Tahno! _

The young man froze. Where had the considerate girl from the other day gone? The one who understood, who cheered him up? Granted, they weren't best friends or anything, but he had finally found a distraction, a way to get his revenge. She had given him a fragile hope before crashing it down with three simple, well chosen words.

He watched her back as she began to run away again, frustrated now by her own inability to be patient, calm and _sweet_ and more like Asami. She was understanding and giving. She wouldn't have snapped at the boy who had just recently lost everything.

_Forget you Tahno!_

"Everyone already has!" He shouted at her, causing her to freeze instantly. "Everyone has already forgotten, but way to rub salt in the wound avatar. You really _have_ gotten good at insults. Perhaps I have taught you something already." He drawled, using his flat tone of voice to hide any pain her comment might have cause.

Korra's hands reached up and pulled on her hair, her eyes scrunching as she tried to come up with a way to remedy this situation. The last thing she needed was to put more space between her and someone else, even though Tahno really wasn't really her first choice.

Slowly, she turned around and walked towards him. She hated this part. The part where she made herself weak and admitted she was wrong.

"Look, I'm just having a bad day, and I'm sorr-"

"I don't want your apologies. I really don't care." The teen scoffed. The avatar snapped her eyes to his and began to glare before she noticed the look behind the pale violet. Pain from the reminder of his fall from grace as well as pleading for her not to make things awkward by trying to apologize. Neither of them was good with emotion, but in his cowardice to face his hurt, he gave her a way out of an apology, and for that she was grateful.

"Just take me out to lunch, will yeah? I'm _starving_. And your pocket does look a little heavy." He smirked. It was at this point the avatar realized he was looking a lot better than last time she saw him. His hair was shiny and perfect again, but his eyes were still outlined by the deep heavy bags under them and not the flawlessly applied eyeliner. His clothing was still wrinkled, but his back was not as hunched over.

Perhaps she had done some good, not leaving him in the rain.

"You know you could be a gentleman and pay this time. You left me without any money to get home!" She called as the pair began to walk towards the nearest diner.

"Ha! The mighty _avatar_ wasn't able to find her way home. Jeez kid, you might be losing your touch." He teased.

"Losing my touch? I was so tired from carting _your_ lazy bones around that I passed out outside the station!" She retorted, noting that her foul mood was escaping her.

He snorted at the picture of the girl the Equalists wanted to most just sleeping in a busy area with no protection.

"That was really _clever_ of you. I'm sure that you couldn't have done a _better_ job of trying to get yourself kidnapped."

"Be careful Tahno, it's beginning to sound like you're concerned."

"Me concerned? Oh avatar, it's so _cute_ when you're imagination runs away from you like that."

"What's cute is your sarcasm as you try to cover your anxiety at the idea of losing my company."

"Oh yes, I would be _over whelmed _with distress if I no longer had the _pleasure_ of watching your menagerie of ridiculous facial expressions."

"See, there's that sarcasm again. It's really eating you up inside isn't?"

"What's eating me up is my hunger. Are you trying to starve me to death?"

"Tahno, don't change the topic. You know, they say the first step is admitting you have a problem."

"All my problems seem to relate back to you _avatar_."

The waitress seated the young pair without interrupting their banter, for she couldn't really tell if this was how they got along or if they were in the middle of a fight. We watched as the mocha-skinned girl would lift her hands in exaggerated motions as she spoke, and how it contrasted with the pale boy's relaxed shoulders and his hand's causally in his pockets. They seemed very unlikely to be together at all, let alone having a lunch date.

* * *

"You look great champ!" Korra mimicked Asami's high soprano voice as Tahno clutched his waist in laughter.

"Eskimo kisses, really? Uh, that just about makes me sick to my stomach." The dark teen chuckled as he took another sip from his milkshake.

The lunch had started out with the two of them bickering about nothing, and somehow ended on the topic of Asami Sato and Mako. The two had now spent the better part of an hour drinking milkshakes and talking about their so-sugary-it-should-be-prohibited (Tahno's words, not Korra's, although she did burst into laughter and had her strawberry milkshake come out her nose. This caused Tahno to laugh even harder while pointing at her expression) interactions.

"You have no idea. It was so sickly sweet it made me gag." The avatar shuddered at the memory.

"So sweet it just rotted your teeth, didn't it?"

"Exactly. I mean, _sweetie_? Who even calls someone that? He's a nineteen year old guy not a three year old little girl." The avatar chortled, enjoying the fact that Tahno had the same reactions as she did to the cutesy behaviour. If she had expressed her feelings about it to Bolin, he would have chastised her for not playing nice. Tenzin would have said something about patience while Pema would have talked about how it will all work out in the end. Perhaps the only person besides Tahno who'd have a negative reaction to it all would be Chief Beifong, but she and Korra weren't quite ready for girl talk yet. She didn't want to lose the chief's good favour so quickly after losing it.

"No more, _please_. I'm afraid I'll lose my lunch. Some people should be banned from having relationships, let alone public displays of affection."

"There's nothing more to tell. Except the fact they're moving in together." Korra rolled her eyes and huffed, hating brining up the newest information on their relationship.

"Oh, how _very_ scandalous. I've changed my mind; give me more dirt on this 'Masami' business. I'm just _dying_ to hear about the _retched_ happiness that they find in each other. " Tahno leaned forward, enjoying anything he can use as dirt on people. He felt so much better after spending the last hour smiting someone else's happiness as opposed to wallowing in the lack of his own.

Korra pulled another face, which again made Tahno laugh. She was beginning to notice that more than anything Tahno was amused by her facial expressions. It would have annoyed her, since there was nothing she could really do stop her face from making a 'ludicrously overstated expression' if it weren't for watching him giggle like a pleased toddler was too adorable to ignore.

So once again she launched into another rant about the content and in love teenagers and the two ordered another round of milkshakes. Korra knew her pockets would be empty by the time they left, but she was enjoying herself much too much to really care.

Maybe making friends wasn't that hard after all?

* * *

"Too slow, _Korra_. My grandmother could move faster, and she's been dead for twelve years."

"SHUT UP!" The avatar growled. She had no idea why she invited him over to Air Temple Island after their late lunch, which sort of turned into a dinner. They had once again exhausted all of the allowance Tenzin had given her, but she was in such a good mood that she invited the teen over to actually do some of the training they were talking about.

Bad idea.

Tahno was not only conceited- which everyone already knew- but also incredibly bossy. He wanted perfection, and would accept nothing less. Perhaps this is why the Wolfbats always won, but still, she couldn't see how his teammates hadn't killed him after the first practice.

"Ah, ah ah. Is that how one talks to one's Sifu?" The teen scolded, wagging a long, thin pale finger in the air from his seat on top a half wall, the setting sun illuminating his haughtier-than-thou expression.

"I'll show you how one talks!" She threatened, spinning towards the boy.

"_I'm peeing my pants over here._"

Just as she took three angry and threatening steps towards him, the airbending master appeared at the archway.

"Korra, I didn't know you had company." As he rounded the corner his eyes went wide at the sight of the cheating pro-bending player who he last saw at the police headquarters. Here he had expected a chipper Bolin or a cool Mako, not a rude pale faced cheat. "Oh! You're not one of the Fire Ferrets."

The boy looked as if he was in pain- unknown the airbending master he was trying to hold back a comment about how _grateful_ he was that he _wasn't_ a Fire Ferret- and stood up from his seat on the half wall.

"I'm Tahno, Councilman Tenzin." He held out his hand to shake with Tenzin's.

"I didn't know Korra and you were friends." But still, the master shook hands with the pale boy before looking pointedly at Korra.

Tahno swiftly spun around, clutching his chest and looking heartbroken at the avatar as well.

"You mean Korra doesn't talk about me?_ However rude_."

"Shut up Tahno. He's just here to help me _modernize_ my waterbending, Tenzin." She looked pointedly at Tahno as if daring him to oppose her answer.

"You mean we're _not_ friends! I'm _heartbroken_."

"Alright, well, have fun you two." The teacher stated before awkwardly walking away, listening to the two bicker at each other as neither of them noticed his departure.

He had no idea why that boy was here, but he was done questioning Korra's judgement. He had to remember he was her teacher, not her father.

Though sometimes it felt like he was more of the latter.

He walked back towards the dining room, still hearing the witty banter between the two waterbenders. Sighing, he rubbed his temples.

"Teenagers."

* * *

_Admit it, you all love to smite those happy and in love couples._

_I for one am in love with the banter I got to write. It was the best thing ever. It just flowed right out of me without even thinking about it. _

_Please tell me what you think!_


	4. Chapter Four

_Hey, anyone still there? Sorry this update took so long. I had been so writers blocked and exams are this week and yada yada yada I know. Here's a longest one for yeah. Forgive me?_

* * *

"_It's a damn cold night/ trying to figure out this life/ won't you/ take me by the hand take me somewhere new? / I don't know who you are/ but I'm with you."_

* * *

"He said that to you?"

"Yeah."

"I can't believe it. You _heard_ that Sato was Equalist and he still doesn't believe you?"

"He thinks I'm making it up. To get between him and Asami."

"He does know the whole world doesn't revolve around Asami Sato right?"

"His world does."

The violet eyed teen had not been expecting company that evening, he had been sitting on his couch, listening to the news on the radio and eating ice cream out of the tub when three hardly loud enough knocks rapped on his door. Tahno had turned down the volume, and stood waiting for them to repeat, just to make sure he wasn't hearing things. After a minute, the teen had given up, and had just about turned the radio back up when a whisper came from behind the door.

"Tahno. It's me. Open up." It was a small, pleading voice that the Wolfbat hardly recognized. Wearily he walked to the door, opening it just enough to see the figure on the other side.

Avatar Korra looked as miserable as he felt. She was leaning up against the door frame, soaked from the thunderstorm that vibrated the house, her bright eyes down casted. She slowly looked up at him, blinking with wet tear filled orbs.

A moment of silence pasted between them. They'd both did their best to avoid emotions since that first day, since neither were good with being sappy and comforting. Both were better at destroying the monster under the bed than trying to convince the child that there was nothing to fear.

Still, Tahno knew that under some _sort_ of social convention he owed her a pep talk, even though she had given one against his will. _He hated this._

"Hey." He stated, leaning up against the frame beside her, his tall build casting a shadow over her from the light inside the apartment. She seemed to lean closer to him, as if she was trying to soak up the warmth from his body- which he found ridiculous since even since that masked bastard he felt so _cold_ and _empty_- or if she was trying to hide her wet eyes from him. Either one seemed too cowardly for her.

A small smile touched her mouth, "Really, that's what you started with?" She chuckled, but it sounded hollow even to her own ears.

"Well, it's better than how you look right now." She noted that his delivery of the line lacked the malice and sarcasm that hers did when she originally said it. Maybe, _perhaps_, he had said it with just a _bit_ of concern. At least, that's what it sounded like to her.

Perhaps she was wrong, though, since this _was_ Tahno.

But right now, she was just going to pretend he had said it in a way that was a statement of worry-that he cared.

She needed to pretend someone cared.

"Can I come in?" She whispered, moving her bright eyes from the floor to the dark teen in front of her. His face was dark since the light was headed from behind him and split out into the corridor, but his pale skin seemed to glow in it regardless. He looked heartbreakingly attractive tonight, which she really hated since she was feeling unwanted and unlovable and unattractive. His hair was done in the perfect wave, shiny and neat, his eyes lacked large bags underneath of them like last time she saw him. It seemed the more time that past, the better Tahno got and the worse Korra got.

He was dressed casually, baggy pants and an untied tunic that hung low and loose on him. He cocked a perfect eyebrow at her appraisal and for a moment she felt happy- like she was glad he had been getting better, bouncing back if you will. For a moment she _cared_ that Tahno was recovering.

"Yeah, come in." He stepped from the door way just enough to let her pass, her shoulder brushing his chest, and he shut the door behind her. She silently looked around the apartment.

It wasn't modest at all, it was fairly large and lavish for someone who lived around, but he did live in Dragon Flats. But for all its elegance, it was simplistic and in good taste. She noted sections of the walls that were darker rectangles, and this confused her. But then she noticed, piled in the corner was a stack of framed posters that looked as though they'd been torn off the walls.

"What brings you here, _Ah-vatar_?" He tried to lighten the mood with his use of the nickname, since things were much too _heavy_ and much too _personal_ for their relationship.

It was then she noticed the moon-peach flavoured ice cream tub still half full sitting on his coffee table.

"Ice cream!"

"Ice cream?" He looked at her with a question mark practically painted on his face. It was then he too noticed he had left his favourite moon-peach flavoured ice cream still half full sitting on his coffee table.

Both looked at each other before rushing over to the tub, an epic foot race for the delicious frozen treat. On his side, Tahno had height and legs that were seemingly twice the length of Korra's. Korra, on the other hand had determination and the yearning for ice cream that stems from a bad day.

"I'm serious pretty boy; hand over the _moon-peach paradise_."

"Get out Avatar! It's my house, my ice cream!"

"You don't know how much I need this!"

"Then go buy your own! You're not getting my ice cream!"

"Stop being stingy! I'm a guest!"

"Stop being needy and demanding!"

"Tahno!"

"Korra!"

The two ended up a pile of limb, dark and pale entangled half on the couch half on the coffee table. Korra was spread out, in her hand furthest from the dark teen was the silver spoon, her other arm curled under his arm and over his back trying the reach the tub of ice cream. Tahno, in a fit of physical immaturity held it in one hand far away from her and the other pressed against her forehead, trying to push her away.

"Look, I have the spoon! Gimme!"

"It's _my_ spoon! _My_ house! _My_ ice cream!"

"Well then have fun eating it with your bare hands!"

"At least I'll be eating it you _intolerant child!"_

"I'm intolerant? You're the greedy, self-centred _egotist_!"

"_Self-centred_! You're the one demanding your way into my apartment and expecting me to relinquish my ice cream to you, _petulant baby_!"

Twisting her body, Korra swung her leg up over Tahno's hip, spun and landed on top of him. Before the dark teen could react, his head and shoulders hit the ground. Finally, when the falling ended, Tahno found his legs still propped up on the couch while the rest of his body lay sprawled out on the ground, one hand tangled in the legs of the coffee table, the other still holding the tub of _moon-peach paradise. _But perhaps the most uncomfortable thing was the blue eyed bender perched on him, her legs straddling his hips in a way that was much too intimate.

"K-Korra get off!" He stuttered, still trying to figure out how they got into this mess and how the avatar had yet to realize the awkward situation she had placed them in.

"Give. Me. The. Ice. Cream." She warned, leaning forward, unknowingly pressing her chest against his. Korra had never seen the dark teen so ragged and awkward before, and she thought it was terribly funny.

"Fine! Take it you insatiable glutton!" He tossed the tub in her direction and she sprang up off of him to catch it, landing gracefully on the couch.

"See, that wasn't too hard Mr. Grouchy Pants." She smirked, taking a spoon full of the ice cream and popping it into her mouth.

Groaning, Tahno let his skull hit the wood flooring, staring up at the ceiling and tried to slow his breathing. Did she not even realize what just happened?

"You came all this way to assault you sifu for _moon-peach paradise_?" He asked incredulously.

"No, I came all this way to assault my sifu, but the _moon-peach paradise_ was an added bonus. And so worth it." She smirked.

Sighing, the avatar watch her host crawl his way up off the ground, noticing that Tahno seemed in this moment to be all elbows and knees and too long limbs.

"Really, Ah-vatar, why did you come here?" He asked, crawling onto the couch beside her. He sat close enough to swipe the spoon from her hand when she wasn't looking, but not too close as to relive the floor fiasco.

"Well, I needed a distraction. And since I always end up _running_ _into you_ when I'm in a bad mood, I figured I'd take fate into my own hands and just come here."

Tahno, unknowing what to say, took the spoon and popped a bit of ice cream into his mouth, before the spoon was pulled clean out by the avatar and placed in her own mouth.

Ew.

He was _not_ sharing a spoon with her.

Even if he was a _little_ flattered she came to _him_ when she needed a distraction.

Korra watched him pull a face as she slipped the spoon into her mouth and giggled as he stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

"If we're both going to share the ice cream, I am _not_ sharing a spoon. I cannot afford to get avatar cooties. Yuck." He disappeared into the kitchen and Korra listened as he slammed drawers a little too loudly than necessary.

And _she's_ the baby.

"Why? I'm sure you've had your share of _cootie-catching_ before Pretty Boy." He had just walked into the room and Korra got the privilege of watching his high pale cheekbones turn a shade of pink.

"Well- Well you're the one who straddled me on the floor!" He called back turning his head to avoid her seeing how hot his face had gotten.

Apparently embarrassment hindered his ability to make mature comebacks.

Korra let the spoon fall out of her mouth in shock. "I- I didn't mean it like that!" She too had begun to turn red. "That'd be gross! You're _Tahno_!"

"Thanks for the compliment avatar." He said, his already bruised ego taking another hit.

"Oh, not that you aren't attractive or anything, cause you are, but not my type, I don't know, I mean you're _Tahno_ and I'm _Korra_ and it'd just be weird, I mean I dunno." She rambled, turning redder and redder by the minute.

"Let's not talk about this!" He shouted.  
"Okay!" She called back.

Both sat in silence for awhile before Tahno with his cootie free spoon had the courage to sit down next to her and continue to eat the ice cream.

"Hiroshi Sato is an Equalist."

"What?" He stated, whipping his head to hers.

"Asami's father is an Equalist. And Mako doesn't believe me. I heard him over the phone, I _heard_ him! But Mako..."

"Who cares what Mako thinks?"

There was silence where Korra's cheeks got pink and she looked down with wet eyes. Staring at her, Korra could practically hear his brain ticking.

_Tick tick tick tick DING! _

"Oh, you _care_ what Mako thinks."

Bingo.

"He said that if I didn't drop it, our friendship would be over."

"He said that to you?"

"Yeah."

"I can't believe it. You _heard_ that Sato was Equalist and he still doesn't believe you?"

"He thinks I'm making it up. To get between him and Asami."

"He does know the whole world doesn't revolve around Asami Sato right?"

"His world does."

"Does Bei Fong know? Does the council know?"

"They are looking into it now, but... I wanted to drop it, I wanted to stay his friend and pretend that Sato really was the nice guy everyone says he is, but I'm the Avatar. It's my duty to restore balance and keep the peace. I can't just ignore this. Even, even if it I'll lose something important to _me_."

Tahno took another spoon full of ice cream, contemplating his response. He remembered this similar situation that they had been in, with him who had already lost something important to himself, and her who came out of nowhere and gave him some sort of pseudo-esque hope of things getting better.

Even though he didn't know what to say to make her believe she won't lose the stupid Fire Ferret, he said the only thing he could think of.

"That's a very brave thing to do."

There was a moment of silence where the avatar ducked her head and took another bite of ice cream.

Who would have known that Tahno would recognize her bravery not for her actions, but for her sacrifices? Is that was true bravery is? Is it measured not by what you do, but what you are willing to sacrifice?

"Thanks." She whispered.

Neither of the two said much for the rest of the night, but they simple clicked back on the radio, ate ice cream and watched the storm roll in.

If only they could have known, that a bigger storm was waiting in the shadows.

* * *

_Once again, dearies, I'm sorry this took so long. But at least now I have more plot to play off of. I'm hoping to have more chapters posted after exams._

_Moon-peach paradise sounds delicious by the way. You know you want some. _


	5. Chapter Five

This is what I did instead of studying for Thursday's exam. So worth it though. (No I did study too so don't worry)

* * *

_"Sun rose/ time for us to part/ walked home/ showing me your scars/ They say 'the knife may have well never touched your arm/ cause the needle surely would have/ heeded you no harm'/ How can they say 'heeded you no harm?'/ How can they say he did you no harm?/ All I know/ Is I wished I had followed you home."_

* * *

"_Please I'll give you anything, just please don't take my bending!" He pleaded and pleaded and spirits damn it he begged for mercy but the cold, piercing eyes behind the mask seemed to not waver as calloused hands pressed forward. Cringing, he tried his hardest to crawl away, to just get the hell away from the monster but he found himself unable to move._

_He was alone, in darkness except the one spotlight that illuminated him and the demon that haunted his every thought._

_Crying out, he felt the hot tears pour down his cheeks. In the darkness somewhere, he knew there was a whole area full of people- none brave enough to save him. None brave enough to speak up against the tyrant. They watched in a horrified silence. _

_Tahno was anything but silent. _

_Screaming, he felt the hand press on his forehead, a phantom weight that was the epitome of everything dark and hopeless. _

_The water that surrounded the stage was calling out to him, whispering for him to bend it, to take control. But as his pale eyes snapped open, he felt his spirit, this gift he had be given snap silent. The calling, the feeling of the water suddenly leaving him. Abandoned him. _

_Crying out for it, for the one thing that made him Tahno, that made him whole, he fell to his side._

_He expected everything to go dark as it usually did in this nightmare. The same that repeated over and over again every night since the championship game._

_But no, the horror did continue. _

_Suddenly, from his blurry vision, another light snapped on. Inside was a figure, forced to her knees, unable to move. Slowly she lifted to head to him, and what Tahno saw horrified him further. _

_Bright, ocean coloured eyes wet with tears. They seemed to plead with him. Beg for him to stop this._

_But he could move. Spirits damn it he couldn't move a Yue damned inch!_

_The demon turned away from him, casting his lifeless, cold eyes to the girl, walking with his hands outstretched._

_He watched her struggle. Watched her eyes widen with fear. No one would save her. No one would get up._

_GET UP! He screamed at himself. GET UP!_

_But he couldn't move. He was useless without his bending. He couldn't save her._

_The calloused hands pressed towards her, looking sick and rough against the smooth tan skin of her forehead. _

"_KORRA!" He screamed at the same time her ear-piercing howl echoed across the room, a blinding light filling the area until he couldn't see a thing. _

_Here it was. The end of all things. The last hope for peace, the last hope for his revenge- gone._

_Somewhere, a phantom voiced called out in a demonic tone: "Goodnight, Republic City."_

"Goodnight, Republic City."

Tahno's eyes snapped open, listening to the late night radio host sign off and the station turn to nothing but white noise for the rest of the evening.

A nightmare. Nothing but a dream.

Looking down, the dark teen noticed that he was not only still in his clothes and in his living room, but beside him, curled up into a tiny ball with her head in his lap, was the avatar.

Glancing down at her in confusion, the teen slowly tried to piece together the rest of the evening.

They had been eating the ice cream- as proven by the empty tub resting on the coffee table, when slowly they must have nodded off. The time must have been about two in the morning; the lights of Republic City from his window were lit in the darkness, but too dimmed to promote active life.

Looking back down at the girl, he startled to see her blue eyes open and staring straight at him.

"You had a nightmare." She stated in a whisper, but her voice interrupted the silence that was only filled by the blank noise from the radio and made him grimace.

Bristling- the dark teen scoffed and waved her off, but made no move to push her off his lap.

"What makes you think such a thing? I'm not a child, _Ah-vatar_. I didn't have a _scary dream_."

Korra watched him from her place, the back of her skull resting against his right knee. It was strange being this close to him. But perhaps what was stranger was the fact he had yet to reclaim his personal space. His face was unusual, all clenched jaws and tight eyes. She had never seen him with such a look of _suffering_.

Maybe his dream was worse than she thought, and by allowing her to stay where she was is his way of asking for comfort? Did the independent, cocky boy need someone to tell him things will be alright? Did he want _Korra_ to be that person?

"You called out to me. You were shaking."

He looked away then, frightened that she might see through his barely held composure. He couldn't talk about. _Wouldn't_ talk about. If he did it would force him to accept that it even happened, which would not be good for his _recovery_.

A recovery that was nothing more than a bandage over a wound.

"It's okay. I have them too. Everyone does." She whispered, her too bright blue eyes staring unblinkingly up at him.

Suddenly, she was much too close. Things were much too personal. His self-preservation was screaming at him. _Back up! Get out! Too close! Too close! Too close! Abort! Abort!_

Korra watched his face slip back into a mask, turning from the strange boy who let her rest on his lap to _Tahno_. His eyes rolled to hers, condescending smirk plastered on his face and eyes heavily guarded.

"It's late, _Ah-vatar_, you wouldn't want Master Arrowhead thinking you were out _catching-cooties _now would you?" He goaded. Scowling, Korra rolled of his lap at his pushing hands, sitting up and observing her surroundings.

She was going to be in so much trouble.

"I better go then. Wouldn't want people to think I was fraternizing with _you_." If he wanted to be snarky, she'd be snarky. Frankly his mood swings were making her motion sick and she couldn't decide whether Tahno liked her or really _couldn't_ _stand her_. It was a fine line.

"I'll walk you home."

What?

"What?"

"I said, I'll walk you home. I really hope you aren't going deaf, interacting with you is hard enough as it is."

"Smart ass. I mean't why are you offering? Shouldn't you be getting some beauty sleep or something?"

"Beauty sleep? How much more beautiful can I get?" He asked incredulously.

"Are you for real?"

"Yes. Really, look at me. You said it yourself, I'm attractive."

"I _knew_ I'd regret coming here."

* * *

About ten minutes later the pair were but quiet footsteps on the pavement as they walked to dock. Korra walked with her arms wrapped about her waist, Tahno's shoved in his pockets. They said not a word, but walked fairly close together, their steps almost in tangent.

Korra tore her eyes from in front of her and took a moment to stop her scanning of every alley for signs of movement, to look up at the teen. Tahno's head was cocked back, his eyes on the stars.

Surely, there was a way to survive without his bending. People did it every day. Everyday people who never knew what it was like. Besides, people were a dime a dozen. Just like the endless stars spread out about the night sky, no one really even noticed if one suddenly blinked out. He was living proof of that.

For when it came to the stars, the single light didn't matter, but it was whole picture, the bigger picture that mattered.

Maybe, he could still be part of something that mattered.

Unthinkingly, he turned his eyes to the Avatar, who had gone back to watching the alleyways.

"You know, it could start to rain again any minute. You would get soaked."

"A little water never hurt anyone. Besides, we already established that I'm _dripping_ in good looks."

She scoffed, and the silence between them resumed.

She watched him as he kicked a rock into the night, listening as it bounced off something in the distance.

"Why did you _really_ agree to walk me home? We both know it wasn't due to your gentlemanly duty." She asked, not bothering to look up at him.

He stayed silent for a moment, perhaps thinking over his answer, or perhaps unwilling to break the trance he had fallen into, but eventually spoke.

"Korra. You are at the top of the Equalists' wanted list. It would be foolish to let Republic City's _saving grace _walk home alone."

"Don't you fear them? Around me you are most likely to be dragged into some sort of battle." She whispered, afraid that they were in every shadow. Watching. Waiting. Listening.

He snorted and cast his eyes to sky again.

"What do I have to loose?"

How could the masked bastard believe that by using fear and intimation he was making people equal? If anything, he was white washing the world, getting rid of everything that made cultures unique and different. Getting ride of the diversity that was Republic City. How could people _believe_ Amon was right?

* * *

They arrived at the dock just before three, the waters of Yue Bay reflecting the moonlight in a way that was poetic, and Korra stood beside Tahno as they watched reflections glitter and swim.

"Tahno?"

"Hmp?"

"Thanks."

She watched pale violet eyes slide to her face, pulling his attention from the sky. His lips twitched, a small up curve of his mouth that was a _smile_. Not a creepy smirk or shark-like grin, but a small, soft almost-smile.

"Yeah, whatever. Don't read to much into _Ah-vatar._"

Smiling back, she climbed over the edge of the fence, ready to jump into the bay when his voice interrupted her action.

"Korra?"

She looked back at him with an eyebrow cocked in question. He pulled his eyes again from the stars and his gaze pierced right through her.

"Prove him wrong."

_Before_ she could ask what he meant -prove Mako wrong for believing Sato wasn't an Equalist?- the teen turned on his heels, his hands shoved into his pockets and disappeared, turning into a dark stain in the night.

* * *

It had been barely a day since the _moon-peach paradise_ misfortune when Tahno had been walking down the streets, his hands buried deep in his pockets and his hood drawn up over his head, when he hear a few newspaper selling street-urchins calling out from the corner.

"Read all about it! Sato a proven Equalist! Wanted for his attack on Councilman Tenzin, Chief Bei Fong and Avatar Korra! Read all about it!"

"Give me the paper, kid." The dark teen had suddenly manifested beside the boy, scaring him to bits. Shaking, the kid passed the shadow-man a paper, quietly accepting the yuan and bolting like a wolfbat of the spirit world down the street.

Violently, Tahno threw open the newspaper and read the details frantically.

Korra had been right.

_Korra had been right!_

He felt a strange rush of pride for the hot-headed girl with the ridiculous faces. But still he didn't know whether to be happy for her insight, laugh at the fact the stupid firebending Fire Ferret now looked like a complete _moron_, or be terrified that one of the most trusted names in Republic City had been helping the masked bastard.

The same masked bastard who _took away his bending_.

Oh, he was going to write a _strongly_ worded letter to Future Industries.

* * *

I think this was my favourite chapter so far. The two are falling into a routine I'm afraid. Getting used to each other and all that. I dare say they may be becoming friends.

Lemme know what you think my dears.


	6. Chapter Six

I have no shame. I should be studying. But I just **had** to.

* * *

_I ran my mouth off a bit too much, ah what did I say? / Well, you just laughed it off and it was all okay/_

_And we'll all float on okay._

* * *

"Hello strange man."

"Hello, weirdly shaped booger boy."

Tahno stood awkwardly on the dock of Air Temple Island, staring down at a strange little monk child. When he arrived to practice with Korra he wasn't expecting to be greeted at all. If fact, he felt like it was a kind of insulting to be greeted like it was some sort of zoo, and all the interested people could view the monks – a race that had once been extinct for a hundred years- and take pictures next to them like it they were adorable rabbit-roos. But, if he was going to be greeted, he expected it to be by someone a little older. Maybe less _sticky_.

"What are you here for?" The kid asked, his mouth missing a few front teeth and Tahno really wanted to spray him with a hose to get all the gross kid germs off of him. Especially if the dark teen had to stand so close to him.

"Korra. We were supposed to practise..." _Hurry up and arrive Avatar, I really can't talk to kids. Please save me. _

"Ah! She's with my _beautiful_ lady! Follow me!" The kid took off, at a pace much too quick for following, a blur of nothing but orange and yellow in the distance.

"Hey! Wait!" He called, taking two quick steps after the kid before deciding it was _so_ not worth it. He'd rather get lost than chase the young airbender around the island. He might get _sweaty_. Yuck.

Causally he jammed his fists into his pockets and sauntered towards the main part of the island. He didn't really get a good look last time he was here, and decided to take his time. He walked up the ramps to the main plaza, all the time admiring the sun of the blinding white stone and shining blue roves. When he reached the top of the island, a few monks gave him a funny look, but he just kept walking.

Surely Korra is somewhere around here?

* * *

"Hey, so this is actually really great." Bolin beamed, throwing a smile at his brother. The best thing is to always stay positive. At least they didn't have to wear the frocks.

"Yeah, it's not so bad." He responded, focusing on unpacking all their things, since he knew that although Bolin meant well he'd still leave everything all over the place. Mako knew that he'd be pulling his hair and cursing if things were out of place. They may have grown up on the street but they weren't raised by wolves.

"Yeah, and we get to spend more time with Korra! That's awesome!" The earthbender was chipper, smiling at the thought of spending more time with the bright-eyed avatar. He was, although, oblivious to how his brother's face fell, becoming a nervous grimace.

The firebender didn't know if spending more time with Korra was a good thing. The more time he spent with the avatar the more he forgot why he had rejected her in the first place.

Then he remembers it has something to do with the green-eyed beauty who just found her father was lying to her all this time.

He **needed** to stay focused.

"Hey Mako! Hey Bolin!" Ikki chirped, spinning into the room on a ball of spinning air, a little tornado that fit her personality to a tee. "There's a strange boy wandering around the island and I think he could be a friend of yours. Looks about your age and height, with dark hair. Ring any bells? Well he's this way if you wanted to see!" She gestured, grabbing their hands and ripping them out of the room.

Mako cringed when he watched the box he'd been balancing with his knee collapse on the ground, the contents spilling out all over the floor.

_Damn_.

The boys found it sort of disorienting running with the airbender girl, since she could propel herself faster and faster and the two began to feel strangely weightless.

Mako didn't like weightless. He liked to be firmly on the ground. Where things made _sense_.

He was so focused on trying to keep up with the little girl that he crashed right into someone he didn't not expect to see.

"Tahno! What in Yue's name are you doing here?" He exclaimed angrily. Pale violet eyes met bright gold. The dark teen was focusing on wiping himself off- freeing himself from Fire Ferret germs.

Korra didn't tell her precious little friends about him? _Oh, this was going to be fun._

"What, Korra didn't tell you? I thought she would since you're _so_ close." He smirked, leaning causally against the closest pillar. Mako felt something tighten in his gut and Tahno could see the hurt and anger flash through his eyes.

_Oh, this was going to be too much fun._

"What are you going on about Tahno," Bolin interjected "Korra would have told us if there was anything to say. Why are you really here?"

"To _see_ Korra. You think she tell her best friends where she's been recently. I can't believe she didn't say _anything_. You must not be as close as you think."

"Or maybe you're lying!" Mako yelled.

Tahno couldn't wait to see how long the little _cool under fire_ firebender could boil before his pot exploded.

"Lying? Me?" The dark teen scoffed, rolling his eyes. "She didn't tell you? We went out for lunch; we spent the entire day together. Oh, and then we went out again and she invited me over, and I stayed pretty late." He drawled on, like it was nothing, but was gleaming inwardly at the sight of both brothers becoming more and more irritated.

It was playing chess against a child. Slyly he moved his queen in position: "Oh, and a few nights ago she showed up to my apartment, and she spent the night."

Mako hands lit on fire.

Checkmate.

* * *

_And she spent the night._

_And she spent the night._

Mako can't remember ever being this angry. Maybe, when he found out a firebender had killed his parents. Maybe, when the Equalists took Bolin. But all those events were shrouded in pain and worry that simply smothered the anger.

This was just pure, blinding rage.

Roaring he rushed forward, hands on fire and aimed for the former-waterbender.

Quickly Tahno ducked, laughing at the firebender's obvious anger and jealousy. Did the street rat not even realize that he was in love with Korra? It was so blatantly clear that the firebender had feelings for her.

What was even funnier was that the other brother had feelings for the bright-eyed girl as well.

_Oh, this was going to be a profligately humorous afternoon._

He didn't know the avatar was a little Casanova. He'd **have** to talk to her about safe _cootie-catching. _

_He's never going to let her live this down._

Quickly he side stepped to dodge another blow, but quickly tripped over a low lying stone wall that was not there a second ago. Looking up he noticed the furious expression on the earthbender's face.

"You leave Korra alone, you no good cheat!" He screamed knocking Tahno back into the air.

This was rapidly going downhill for the dark teen.

If only he could bend. There was a fountain _right there_ and the brothers wouldn't stand a chance against him.

_He was a prodigy, he was a champion, he was the best pro-bender in the history of-_

"Mako, Bolin, ENOUGH." A voice yelled and Tahno watched as the bright-eyed avatar appeared out of nowhere, pushing the firebender's arm away, and the fire shooting into the air rather than at the face of her annoying sifu. Then she twisted quickly, kicking earth back at the earthbender keeping him from pushing another wall to attack.

"Korra!" All three boys cried out at once, a look of shock on their faces.

"What is this about you spending the night with Tahno?" Mako yelled, straightening himself and taking angry steps towards the girl.

"You're blowing it out of proportion! I went over to see him after _you_ threatened to end our friendship. Tahno has been helping me modernize my bending."

Tahno had forgotten how amusing her livid face was. Had it really been so long since he was on the receiving end. Now lover-boy was getting the face.

_Oh, oh have the tables turned. _

He had to control himself from outright laughing at her medley of eyebrow orientations as she was yelling at the firebender.

He watched the golden-boy cringe at the memory, and Tahno could hold back his gleaming smile. _Yeah, she went there._ _She mentioned your most outstandingly moronic moment. _

"But he's not even a waterbender!"

Ouch.

Tahno felt his smile drop and suddenly the glee he felt forsake him.

"_Please don't take my bending!" _

He shook his head at the memory, unthinkingly curling his legs in and wrapping his arms around his knees.

Everything suddenly got so damn cold.

The avatar spotted the movement and turned again angrily towards her firebending teammate.

"Mako! He _is_ a waterbender! We can never lose these things! We are born with them and we shall die with them! Am I supposed to treat you any different if Amon took your bending?" She claimed, grabbing Tahno's elbow and hauling him off the ground.

"Tahno is my friend now, and you should know that if anyone messes with my friends they're going to have to deal with _me_."

She stomped away, probably headed towards the practise ring to blow off some steam, pulling the dark teen with her.

Childishly, Tahno turned his head and stuck his tongue out at the brothers.

_You just got told!_

"And don't you think I'm not angry with you either, jerkface." She spat venomously as they marched towards the ring. "We both know you're not innocent **at all**."

"Well, at least I'm not the one who's _caught cooties_ from _**both**_ brothers." He reprimanded tisking at her as she pulled him along.

He could see from this angle her whole face go red.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't _Ah-vatar._"

He chuckled as he heard her mutter under her breath the rest of the way.

* * *

"Good. You're getting better. Now you're slightly less dismal." He drawled, watching her turn her still angry blue eyes at him, letting the water whip drop.

"Whatever." She snapped, flopping down next to him and taking a drink from the water skin. There was a moment of silence, where Tahno turned his eyes from her to the setting sun.

"So, we're friends now?" He asked, his voice strangely hesitant.

"Yeah. I guess. What of it?" She sighed.

"Nothing."

A moment of silence again.

He thought back to the long lunch they shared, where they laughed and bantered. Then, the thought to the night he walked her home, the sad look in her eyes when she spoke of the firebender and her feelings for him- and his feelings for Sato.

He realized that his malice today towards the Ferret might have been _something_ to do with dejected look in the avatar's eyes when she muttered about him.

_That, and he can't stomach him._

But, maybe since the avatar was sort of, helping him out with his _recovery _he could try his best to make things a little easier for her in the boy department.

He could so make the firebender jealous. Then maybe he'd come to his senses.

_Wait, does that mean I'm going to have spend time with the ferrets? Damn avatar. _

"Does this mean I'm going to have to be _nice_?" He asked dejectedly, a scowl on his face. The avatar whipped her eyes to his, before she leaned back and howled a laugh.

He didn't want to think about why the sound made him so happy.

_Friends._ He thought. _How_ _unlikely this would have happened to them._

* * *

_And we'll all float on alright/ Already we'll all float on alright/ don't worry even if things end up a bit too heavy/ We'll all float on alright._

* * *

There you have it. Tahno meets team avatar (minus Asami, she'll be in the next chapter I believe). He's such a little shit, stirring up trouble with the boys. But we love him.

This chapter was hard to write because of all the different characters. But, I love Tahno's interactions with anyone so it was worth it.


	7. Chapter Seven

Only two more exams to go until I'm free. So, here my weekend update. By the way, I can't wait to sink my teeth into writing about that season finale. It was amazing.

* * *

_And you/ you knew the hand of the devil/ and you/ kept us up awake with wolves' teeth/ sharing different heartbeats/ in one night._

* * *

"Korra! What the hell is this?"

The people at the table suddenly looked up, watching the dark teen storm into the dining room, a furious look on his face. He looked as if he hastily arrived here, his tunic buttoned incorrectly and his hair only half done.

The avatar looked up at him in shock from her place between Jinora and Mako. She was not expecting Tahno until later that afternoon, hoping to reintroduce him to her friends, so that maybe they could become less hostile with each other. But with a side glace to her new Team Avatar she could tell that they were not pleased to see him at all.

"Tahno! What are you doing here? It's seven in the morning." She asked, standing up as he stomped to the table before slamming down the paper in his hand- slightly bent and crinkled from the fist he held it in.

"Well, I wake up this morning, step outside to get my mail and look and see this! This ridiculous law! What even is this?" He shouted, and finally the avatar looked down to see the paper. It was a notice,

_To whom it may concern,_

_By order of the Council, there will now be a curfew for all nonbenders in Republic City. All nonbenders are acquired to be within their homes before nightfall every evening from here on out. All spotted outside this time will be assumed working for the criminal Amon and the now illegal activist group known as the Equalists and will be punished accordingly. _

_Chief Shaikhan._

"To whom it may concern? How could they even think I'd be involved with the Equalists? With this- this bastard who took away my bending! I'm furious!" He shouted, his arms jerking around as he yelled.

Korra felt her fist clench. How could Tarrlok do this? Assume that all the innocent nonbenders of the city were involved with Amon?

"I promise you Tahno, I had no idea about this law! I would not have allowed him to pass it if I had!" She called back, trying to reign in not only her anger but his as well.

"Tenzin, did you know about this?" She accused, turning her eyes to her airbending master.

"Yes, Korra. But I had voted against it. The Council on the other hand was played by Tarrlok. I tried to fight it, but there was nothing I could do." He said calmly, but regretfully.

"Well you didn't fight hard enough." Tahno spat.

"Tahno! Tenzin did everything he could." Korra stated, placing her hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

The same way she did to Mako all those weeks back, when Bolin was taken by the Equalists. Mako felt his fist curl up into balls at the sight, his stomach flipped in some odd feeling.

The airbending family and Team Avatar watched the dark teen deflate under her hand, collapsing unsteadily to the ground. His arms wrapped around his knees, his head ducked into them.

"They've taken everything now. My sport. My bending. My freedom. Everything." He muttered, looking once again a shell of the boy she had met so long ago in the Noodlery.

"You can't think that way. We are going on patrol tonight, why don't you come with us? You could knock some Equalist heads in!" The avatar asked, leaning down to be at head level with him. Slowly, the teen turning and looked at her, meeting her too-blue eyes.

Mako again felt that something in his stomach burn when he noticed their noses were almost touching.

"I'll be no good to you. I'm just a nonbender now." He pouted, turning his head back into the crook of his knees.

"Hey! Don't think that way!" Another voice called, making him look up. In front of him, a beautiful girl had her hands on her hips, her green eyes sparkling with determination and anger, her wavy hair cascading around her shoulders. "Us nonbenders can still help! Think of the War, Councilman Sokka and Suki played crucial roles in defeating Fire Lord Ozai! Or Fire Lady Mai and Ty Lee, who saved Fire Lord Zuko from the Boiling Rock! You can still fight for what you believe in!"

Tahno knew by her aristocratic tongue, her good looks and her proximity to the firebending Ferret that his was the famed Asami Sato.

The stupid moron was one lucky bastard. Having Sato _and_ Korra after him.

But he's **still** a moron.

"Yeah! Come on Tahno! Let's see what you can do!"

* * *

Team Avatar found themselves outside in the training arena, Tahno standings awkwardly next to Korra and as far away from the brothers as possible. There was an uncomfortable silence as they waited for Sato to arrive, everyone trying not to meet each other's eye.

"By the way, Korra," Tahno muttered breaking the silence "I'm letting you know that I bought more ice cream, so my house is now an avatar-free zone. No avatars allowed near my _moon-peach paradise_." He scolded, wagging a pale finger at her.

"What! Now who's oppressing who? I'm coming over tonight just to smite you." She smirked, cocking her hip, leaning closer to him. Tahno leaned in too, watching the firebender out of the corner of his eye.

"Why, avatar, I'm beginning to think you like my company. You miss _catching-cooties_ with me?" He chuckled, watching her face go red.

Mako's hands were steaming.

_This was too easy_.

Just then, Asami arrived back from her room. In her hand she held a glove, made of metal, with a glowing blue light.

An Equalist weapon.

"I'm not touching that." He spat at her, stepping away as if she was going to shock him with it.

"Yes you are. The best way to fight Equalists is use their weapons against them." She stated, tossing it to him.

He caught it, and it felt cold and heavy in his hand.

He didn't want this. This is bad. _This is wrong_.

Korra watched his breath speed up, his forehead break into a sweat and his eyes go foggy.

_Now you are free of your impurity. Join my cause. _He could practically hear the voice inside his head. Chilling him to the core, causing him to drop the glove.

"I can't. He took away my bending using such weapons." He stated, closing his eyes and clenching his fists.

"Hey, that's fine." The avatar again placed at hand on his shoulder. "Let's practise waterbending instead."

* * *

"No. Not like that! And here I thought you had _mastered_ this element. Is Katara let anyone be called _master_ nowadays? Gotten soft in her old age?" He scoffed.

Well, the distraction worked. Tahno was back, barking orders at her, sitting upon his half wall as if it was a throne, wagging those long damn pale fingers in the air.

The rest of Team Avatar lay sprawled about the arena, all unwilling to leave the dark teen with their beloved friend. That and they had a curiosity about what they two do together anyway.

Bolin quickly noted that Korra and Tahno got along the best when they weren't getting along. They had a dysfunctional sort of relationship where he made sassy comments and Korra refused to take them, snapping back at him. He would smirk, she would snarl and then they'd both laugh like it was some inside joke.

He didn't understand, but he knew the sight of the dark teen brining colour to Korra's cheeks made his heart hurt.

To Mako on the other hand, every one of Tahno's snide remarks was a reason to punch the boy in the face. He hated his dry, snarky commentary to everything Korra did. He was unpleasant and grouchy and way too damn _close_ to her!

Tahno had walked up to the avatar, placing his hands on hers from behind, knocking her feet apart more with his own. Then, they started some sort of dance, where he'd lead her through movements by _physically_ moving her. His foot moving hers, his chest to her back, his hands on her wrists and his hips almost aligned with hers.

And he looked much too damn happy there.

If it weren't for Asami leaning up against him, their hands entwined he would have ripped the boy off his friend.

"Ouch, Mako! Watch it!" Asami grumbled, ripping her hand from Mako's and rubbing it. "You almost burned me!"

Drawing his eyes from the avatar and the jerkface, Mako tenderly rubbed her palm and apologized.

"Come on; let's see if we can find some food." Mako grumbled, turning away from the two Waterbenders and gripped Asami's hand. "Coming Bo?"

"Sure sure." The three silently slipped out, looking to find some late lunch.

With one last glare backwards at Tahno, Mako pulled Asami down the hallway. He didn't like that damned Wolfbat.

* * *

It was like bending again. His arms and legs doing the movements, the water responding in turn. His heart sung inside his chest and felt very warm. His fingers tugged at tan skin as he moved them both, and he noted that Korra was strangely compliant to his requests, choosing to indulge him.

He'd think about that later though, because right now he was _bending_.

He quickly went through forms. Waterwhips, water bullets, water pinwheels. Then by squeezing his fingers into hers, ice daggers, ice spears and ice disks. Then, in a fit of pure joy he collapsed into forms he learned not from pro-bending, but from his early training. With the pleading press of his hands and the feel of his warmed skin on hers, Korra bent her hands and octopus formed.

Laughing with glee, Tahno let go of her wrist and spun her around to face him. "It was like bending! I was bending!" He laughed, feeling nothing like himself. In fact, he felt nothing like anyone he knew. He was _bending_ again. Moving the water, feeling it respond.

"Glad to be of assistance." She chuckled as his now warm hands fell heavily on her shoulders.

"I was bending." He repeated, staring her straight in the eye.

"Yeah, I guess you were." She indulged again, watching his happy expression fade from ecstatic to something more akin to grateful.

With a squeeze of her shoulders, she knew he was thanking her. In his own way, since he was too proud to say the words aloud to her. But, she smiled back, understanding.

With a smirk, she murmured: "Yeah, whatever. Don't read too much into Tahno."

Smirking back, he placed a hand on her hair and ruffled it. She dutifully swatted him away.

"Now to our second order of business now that your boyfriends have gone." He was glad for this, for if the firebender had seen him act of out of character he would have had to kill him.

He didn't quite know why it was okay Korra saw it though.

"Oh, and what is that?" She asked playfully; glad to see Tahno acting so _happy_. She remembered the boy from the couch, the strange one who needed comfort. Was this him now?

"We need to talk about your _cootie-catching _habits. They've gotten out of control."

Nope. That's Tahno.

"_**My**__ cootie-catching_ habits are the problem? Sure Mr. Promiscuous, keep telling yourself that." She rolled her eyes, throwing a hand up in the air.

"Yet, I'm not the one who's balancing both brothers. Oh, and then you come over to my house and try to _cootie-catch_ with me. I think you're insatiable. "

"Don't flatter yourself. I was after the ice cream."

"So you'll _cootie-catch_ for _moon-peach paradise_ ah-vatar? That's kinda cheap. You should raise your standards."

"I think I'd do almost anything for _moon-peach paradise_. Oh, and you're a sleaze-ball."

"Ouch. You still tried to add me to your harem of boys who worship at your temple."

"It's not a harem! And they _don't_ worship me! You're gross!" She smacked his arm before sauntering away. Suddenly, she stop, cocked her head back and winked at him.

"If there was a harem, you _wish_ you could join."

Smirking he caught up with her. "Ah, you figured me out."

Laughing, she bumped his shoulder.

He bumped it right back.

Then she shoved him against the wall.

* * *

"Are you _sure_ you don't want to come tonight?" She asked, the pair standing apart from the rest of Team Avatar as they waited for the ferry.

"Yeah. Why, you gonna miss me?" He teased "You're getting clingy _ah-vatar_. I'll be around. Try to function without me. 'Kay?"

"Whatever."

There was a moment of silence between them- the kind that she had gotten used to between them. Their silence.

"Hey, about the whole glove thing. We didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. You know that right?"

He turned his eyes up, as if he could see the stars even though the sun had yet to set for the night. It was something he did often, and maybe someday she'd find the courage to ask him why he did it.

"Yeah. I over-reacted anyway. It's just-" He struggled, still terrible at the whole friends share their feelings.

"Amon. I know. You went through something that, that I could never imagine. You're strong, Tahno. Stronger that you were before." She stated, watching him with clear eyes as he shuffled his feet.

"Yeah. Well." _Thank you. _"You're not half bad avatar." _It's thanks to you. _He reached up and ruffled her hair again, earning a well deserved slap on the wrist. Chuckling he turned around when the ferry arrived.

"See you around, Ah-vatar."

"Bye, Tahno."

She waved as he strolled onto the boat rather nonchalantly. Without turning back, he threw to fingers in the air like some sort of salute, before shoving them into his pockets.

She stood on the dock until the ferry landed across the bay.

* * *

He should have gone with her.

The sound of sirens echoing through the night as he was bared off like some sort of animal. The chief was there, not Bei Fong but Shaikhan. He hated Shaikhan. Bei Fong, on the other hand he had respect for. Oh, why did the chief resign?

"Return to your homes!" He called out through the megaphone.

The people of Dragon Flats were being treated like criminals. Like Equalists because of this new _law_ about nonbenders. Councilman Tarrlok had now climb up the list of his least favourite people, sitting pretty right under the masked bastard who started this whole thing.

Unfortunately this new law didn't have a clause for recent nonbenders who used to be benders.

"Let us go!" A woman called, clutching her child closer.

"Turn back on our power!" A man shouted, his hands in fists at his sides.

For a moment, the dark teen tried to call to the basin of water. To waterbend the _crap_ out of these _stupid_ police officers.

Couldn't they see they were making things _worse_? Hell, he might have supported Amon if this continues.

Try as he might, the water didn't respond.

"Please help us! You're our avatar too!" The woman called, and Tahno turned sharply, his eyes seeking out the person she was talking too, abandoning his attempts to waterbend.

No doubt, there stood Avatar Korra, her hands on her hips, her eyes brows pulled together in worry over her too bright blue eyes.

"Everyone please stay calm! I'm going to figure this out!" She shouted back to the crowd, before turning on her heel.

"Korra! Korra!" He called out, trying to get her attention. He had a sinking feeling in his gut. A bad feeling.

But she was focused on the man clad in blue standing in front of her.

"Tarrlok!"

Oh, dear. She had walked herself _right_ into trouble. There was something about this moment, for some reason he felt like this would be really terrible if she continued on her path towards the Councilman.

Like this would be the last time he saw her.

"_Korra_! Wait!"

* * *

Well. There it is. Everyone has the scene where Korra helps Tahno 'waterbend' so I thought I throw it in since it's become almost Tahno canon. I also hoped I kept him in character- like you all so kindly say I do- for the scene. Lemme know.

And the song, Heartbeats (cover) by Jose Gonzalez is beautiful and has become my Korra/Tahno song for this story. (Minus the romance for those who are shipping their friendship, plus the romance for you who are hardcore shipping their romance. It's really up to you.) The line above is so appropriate for them.

Thanks for reading. Reviewing would make me tearbend. It's kind of embarrassing.

By the way this is the longest chapter yet.


	8. Lost My Heart In Republic City: Outtake

With some brainstorming going on and my Tahno Mode activated (thanks to a certain Misleading Potato) I decided to post an outtake that had been cut from Chapter Four. This is not nessarcy to plot, and was taken out since I thought it made their friendship progress too quickly and didn't fit in with the next chapter where they walked home, but I thought you'd enjoy it anyway.

So, in summary, this is a stand alone little outtake. And listen to _Lost My Heart In Republic City_ and_ Hittin' All the Sixes_ from the Legend of Korra OST. It inspired this.

* * *

_I remember/ We were walking up to strawberry swing /I can't wait until the morning/Wouldn't wanna change a thing/ People moving all the time/ Inside a perfectly straight line/ Don't you wanna curve away? _

* * *

The pair sat silently on the couch, the radio singing out a sad, sweet tune as they watched the lights of Republic City fade into the early hours of the morning.

It was strange, because at the moment, the artist on the radio cooed out a ballad of two lonely people, and in fact, there were two listening to it together. Both lost in thought, thoughts about things they have lost.

Korra's mind on the icy planes of her homeland and on the lost innocence she had before coming to the city of neon and chrome. The innocence that there were no terrible people in the world, and the bad things didn't have to good people. That with the ending of the war, her predecessor Avatar Aang eradicated all the evil in the world.

The boy beside her lingered on a lost world of brightness and colour, where he could bend and he was _king of the world_. His world before rivers, fountains, ponds and spirit damned puddles were silent to him. _When he was free. _

The ice cream had been abandoned on the coffee table, the tub scraped empty, and the silver spoons dropped carelessly against the wood. Tahno sat with one ankle resting on the other leg's knee, his long pale arm draped along the back of the couch. Korra sat with both her feet resting up against the table, knees bent slightly in on herself, one hand resting peacefully across her stomach the other pulling absent-mindedly playing with her hair.

They were bizarrely comfortable around each other. A moment of peace in the middle of a storm.

The song had changed to a sweet romantic song that made her unconsciously think of warm gold eyes and high cheekbones. Of a shock of dark hair and broad shoulders. Blushing, she curled in on herself more, drawing the attention of her host.

"What's that colour about?" He asked, his voice quiet, tapping her cheek with the hand not resting on the back ledge of their seat. She blushed harder at his inquiry, swatting his pale fingers away.

They must of looked a pair, him all long and pale, dark hair and pale eyes, while she was curved and tan, light hair and bright eyes. Opposites, yet they were comfortable.

They'd always just be opposites. It was simple. Set it in stone. And it was encouraging in a time where things are uncertain and different.

"Nothing. I was just thinking how this song is on almost every night." Without fail it was on every evening, making her go all blush-y and bright eyed at the thought of a certain firebender. Wondering if he was listening to the same song, on the same station and thinking of her.

"That's because it's a love song." He stated bluntly, "It's what couples danced to. It's called _Lost My Heart in Republic City_. "

"You dance to it?" She asked, turning her eyes to his.

"Yeah. You have danced with someone before _Ah-vatar_, right?" He asked teasingly, but the smirk dropped from his mouth when he saw her face go red again.

"You haven't danced with anyone?" He was incredulously. Isn't that like every girl's dream or something?

"Well, I grew up on the compound Tahno. The only guys around are masters who are-most of the time- three times my age. I was focussed on training, not boys." She defended.

For a moment he just stared at her, with a face that she couldn't decipher. She didn't like it, and it made her fidget under his gaze, those pale violet eyes unblinking as he watched her.

"We'll have to change that then." He stated, standing up and unfurling his long limbs, suddenly towering over her.

"What?" She squeaked, blinking up at him.

He wasn't asking her to dance, was he?

"Come on, _Ah-vatar_, I don't bite- _much_." He winked, giving her an attractive smirk. Still she felt her cheeks go hot and she suddenly thought the room was _much_ too warm. And he was still much too good looking tonight.

"Come on." He urged again, holding a pale hand that consisted of a large palm and thin, long fingers that he liked to wave around in the air. "You're not _afraid_ are you?" He goaded, crinkling his nose at her.

Scowling, she jutted out her dark hand into his and abruptly stood up. He was the one who challenged her, so he'd beat him at this whole dancing thing.

Walking over to the open space in the room, Tahno spun her around so they faced each other, taking both her warm hands in his cold ones.

"Put your hand on my shoulder, yes that one, and the other goes just like- this. That's right." He rearranged their palms into a much more dance-appropriate way, instead of the entwined fingers they had a moment ago.

He brought his other hand to her waist, at which she promptly stiffed and slapped him wrist.

"Korra." He chided. "I'm trying to teach you. I am your sifu after all." He raised an eyebrow, and after a moment he put his hand back on her waist.

"Now what?" She asked, feeling naive and dumb.

"Now, we get closer," He jerked her forward until there was little space between their bodies. Gasping, she turned accusing eyes up to his, at which he rolled his own.

"Is this what you meant by _private lessons_?" She asked, noting the lack of distance between him and her. For a moment, he looked at her like she really missed the punch line of a joke that everyone was in on.

He forgot how _innocent_ she was.

"Not in the _slightest_." He grinned back, the cryptic comment making her scowl.

Then he seemed to wait for something, perhaps a beat or bridge in the song and then suddenly they were swaying. It wasn't the waltzing around a ballroom, or the fast motions of a tribal dance, instead it was some sort of intimate soft steps, where he'd lower and lift their combined hands, and move to the beat in a tight circle.

It was nice. Her first dance.

"Now, now _Ah-vatar,_ you have to let me lead." He teased when she got overzealous. Blushing, she begrudgingly submitted. "Yes, like that."

Suddenly, he let go of her waist, spun her in a circle before pulling her closer to him, swaying even more and giving her a grin.

For some reason, she started to laugh.

Together they spun and moved their bodies in pushing and pulling manors that made her instantly think of waterbending. He'd lead, pushing his arm out, and she'd turn his energy against him, keeping them moving.

She was learning though, and he only chuckled whenever she'd mess up her footing, but he noted that she caught on quickly. At one point he pulled her so close in his delight that his nose rested against her temple and when he smiled, she could _feel_ his lips move against her skin.

She sighed, forgetting the reason why she came to his house in the first place and rested her head against his chest like they were old friends. Like she would if she was dancing with Bolin. She felt bizarrely comfortable and warm with a sturdy, boy-body leading her around, and for a while allowed herself to forget she was hot-headed independent _Korra_ who had responsibilities and worries. Gladly, she allowed these to rest on the strong male guiding her around the impromptu dance floor, even if he was _Tahno_. That didn't matter at the moment.

Finally with one last dramatic spin, the song ended, leaving the two standing still in a half embrace, both fearing that if they were to move from this very spot, it would suddenly get really awkward between them.

"And that was, _Lost my Heart in Republic City_- a shout out for all you couples out there!"

Well, that broke things up.

Rapidly they both stiffened, pulling away from each other with pinked cheeks.

Then, another song came on, much more upbeat and giddy, and the Korra smiled at him, her bright eyes flashing.

"Come on, sifu, I need more practise!" She laughed, grabbing his wrist and spun him around this time.

Much to his dismay, he lost _all_ control of the situation.

But he figured he let it slide tonight, as he danced in a way that was much too corny to ever been seen outside this room. All knees and elbows as they did the _Republic City Swing_ and _The Charleston_. The dances became fast, and he suddenly picked her up by the waist, and seemed to waterbend _her_ around his body before dropping her back down, laughing all the way.

She laughed right back, and they swiftly tried again.

"By the way, _Ah-vatar_, if you tell anyone we did this, I'll drown you in the Bay." He chuckled, trying to make a threatening face while spinning her around again. By Yue, he could hardly _see_ her face they were moving so fast.

"Sure sure tough guy." She taunted.

But, she knew she wouldn't tell. Besides, she didn't want everyone to know her first; second and third dances were all with _Tahno_ and not the firebender who made polar beardogs jump around in her stomach.

Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to care.

* * *

There it is. Once again, this won't effect the plot of the story, but I thought I'd share with my lovies. Since all of you seem to be Team Tahnorra, I gift this to you!

Thanks my dears.


	9. Chapter Eight

_Hey everyone, this is a longer one beacuse I felt guilty for not updating due to writer's block. But I broke through it and this bad boy was born_

_Three things you should be warned about for this chatper:_

_1) there are OCs in this chapter and they are pretty much sticking around for the rest of the story (they're plot essential guys, sorry if you don't like)_

_2) I draw upon some more fanon (fandom canon) in this chapter that you'll see at the bottom._

_3) from here on out our tale deivates from the plot of cartoons greatly, following only Tahno (with maybe some other POV cameos) until we reach the season finale where he will interact with Korra again. _

_Alright, if your still around, have a go at it:_

* * *

_Mother I made it up from the bruise on the floor of this prison/ mother I lost it all of the fear of the Lord I was given/ mother forget me now that creek drank the cradle you sang to._

* * *

"Round up all these Equalists!"

The police dutifully stepped forward, feet pressing against the ground as their hands lifted in an almost waterbending-eque style. With a groaning, protesting sound, the metal barriers responded, their supports collapsing while they hovered mid air.

Tahno felt his body freeze, like water under his hands before this whole thing happened, and something _clicked_ inside him. A response to the violence or perhaps to the helplessness of the situation, but his flight or fight response awoke and suddenly could feel every drop of water. The wet cobbled stone below his feet, the basin of water outside a neighbour's house, the thick alcohol-like liquid in the man's canteen behind him, the heavy condensation the fog in the cold night, the waiting rain miles above his head, even the salt water tears in a frightened infant's eyes. Everything seemed to awaken, calling, crying out to him. _Fight, you can do it._ _Bend._

_Bend._

_Protect yourself. _

_BEND!_

Not one to argue with himself, he moved his hands, calling back to the water, all the while _something_ was chanting inside his head. Something was trying to make itself known.

But there was no response. He could hear the water scream out to him, and he was screaming in return, but like a one sided telephone call, it could not hear him. The dark teen felt as if he was screaming inside a glass case, silenced by some invisible barrier that he had been unaware of before.

He had no time to dwell on it any further though, for the metal barriers were brought around the mass of people, circling and caging them. They corralled them into smaller groups, pinning them together in tight circles, restricting movement, restricting spirit's damned _breathing_. Then, before he could try to push away the tight, cold metal with his hands, the very earth beneath him quaked, and he was suddenly shot into the air.

It was a strange thing, being firmly on the ground while the ground was flying through the air.

Everything rumbled as the earth submissively bent to the will of the police, and Tahno watched as the people fled, fear for their lives out weighing the anger of the stupid law casted by the councilman, whose teeth gleamed in the night.

He could smell the crazy on that man. He was like a bag full of cats.

The doors to the vans were opened, and there was no force that could keep them from being bent right into a moving trap. _Was he to spend the rest of his life in jail? _

And suddenly, there was a disorienting roar, like two competing dragons, and the earth slammed back down. Looking up he saw Korra standing in her earthbending stance, the ground had given way to a call from a stronger master.

No matter how good the police force was, Korra was the _Avatar. _In the minds of the earth, the sky, the oceans and the flames she'd always be _stronger_.

Feeling a strange sense of affection for the blue eyed girl for saving his life- again? He's pretty _sure_ he owed her one from before but hadn't bothered to keep count- he tried to wiggle away like others did.

But the stupid metal had him tightly right around the middle, pressing against his ribs. Besides, the moment to flee pasted when he hear a yell.

"TARRLOK!"

Looking back at the avatar, she had two large slabs of stone hovering in the air, her back to him and the rest of the fleeing citizens. Beside the councilmen were the Fire Ferrets and Sato, tangled in metal vines.

Half of him wanted to tell her to turn around and _get him out_ of this infernal thing.

The other half of him _understood_ more, felt more, and seemed to sigh. With a resigning flop of his head, he let her go, his chance to escape jail go, and gave up.

_Save your friends, Korra. They need you more than I do. _

He never planned on being a martyr, but he had seemed to be one, sacrificing himself for the avatar's happiness- the one she found in the stupid firebending moron. The problem though, was that he didn't know if they _really_ need her more than he did.

With one last glace at the blue eyed beauty; he was pulled in the darkness of the police van.

* * *

"Here's your _suite_, enjoy your stay _pretty boy_," The gruff police officer who smelt like soup chucked him into the darkened cell. For a strange reason, Tahno got furious at the use of the nickname, for he knew it was not his to use.

"Don't call me _that_!" He shouted as the door slammed shut with a resounded echo of clanging metal.

There was sniffle behind him, and the sound of heavy breathing which alerted Tahno that he was _not_ in solitary confinement.

Turning slowly, cautiously, his eyes found the piercing pale green of a man. Well, maybe not a man, for he looked more like a mountain with eyes and hands.

Fierce to say the least, the man seemed to take up half the room with his shoulders alone, and commanded a terrible respect. His skin was somewhere between tan and pale, and his eyes were thin slits, with three varied in length claw like scratches around his right eye. His deep brown hair was half pulled up in a topknot, the other half hanging straight past his shoulders, a tiny braid featured on one side. His head was completely square with the cut of his jaw, and he seemed to deem Tahno worthy enough for a look, before ducking his head back down into his crossed arms, becoming a still as statue.

In short, he was _terrifying_.

The other figure was sitting in the lighter part of the room, lithe and thin compared to the mountain opposite of him. He was pale skinned, with thin ebony hair falling in wisps around his face and neck. He faced the dark teen, observing him with warm gold eyes, and took three graceful loping steps towards him.

"Hello. What unfortunate event landed you in our humble abode?" He stated, with twinkling eyes filled with mischief and a warm smile. The comfort the nimble young man offered just balanced the terror caused by the statue man leaving Tahno in a weird limbo.

"Out past curfew." He stated, watching the man's dark eyebrows shoot up in disbelief, although his smiling mouth never changed.

"Really? They're locking people up for that now?" Alright, now Tahno was not comforted. The boy seemed nice, but the tone of his voice dropped to a dangerous pitch while his face staying a happy, welcoming grin.

He might be more terrifying then the stone-man. He's unpredictable.

"Guess so." He responded, peculiarly short words. _He always had words. _

"Well, welcome nonetheless." The man smiled, putting an arm around his shoulders and leading him deeper into the room. "This is our fine room and board offered by the _unmatched_ hospitality of Republic City's Police Force. I'm Yu, Huan Yu." He teased, his eyes once again filled with mirth.

"Tahno. Thank you for the most _gracious_ grand tour." He bantered back, calmed by the joking tone and the familiar repartee.

There was a moment of silence where Yu seemed to realize there was another person in the room.

"Ah, yes. This is Nergui. He doesn't talk much. Took me a month and a half of _determined_ one sided conversations for him to even give up his name."He gestured to the mountain with the unusual name, who didn't even look up at them.

"Conversationalist, isn't he?" Yu teased, turning his eyes back to the pale boy.

"Yeah, I can already _feel_ the headaches his infernal chattering will cause me."

Placing his fist to his mouth, Yu chuckled. Tahno noted that his age was hard to place. He was shorter than him by barely an inch and seemed to have the body of an adult, but his eyes were wide and warm and his face was still rounded.

"What did you end up in here for?" Tahno asked, although he felt queasy at the thought of the answers that the boy could give.

"Well, I am unaware of Nergui's crimes against humanity, but I am here for my apparent anarchist skills. Destruction of public property." He gleamed, his mouth in a wide smile.

"They're still keeping you here for that?" He asked, pleased by the fact that it wasn't murder or the torturing of hopeless children.

'Cause that would have made this hellish situation _a lot_ worse.

Suddenly, Yu's voice dropped again, his eyes going hard while that smile stayed on his lips.

"There was a lot of property."

Terrifying.

Before he could say anything though, Yu bounced back, his eyes sparkling again and his face lightning up from behind.

"Regardless, you must be tired, here, this is your bed."

He lead Tahno over the middle bed, the far one taken being sat on by the silent Nergui and the one closest to the lamp attached on the wall taken by Yu.

Sitting wearily, Tahno felt the shock of the day set in, and he silently crawled under the covers, wishing they were the silk ones back home.

Yu walked over to the lamp and twisted the switch, turning the room pitch dark.

"Well, goodnight Tahno. Goodnight Nergui, please don't keep us up all night with your prattling."

With a quite sigh, Tahno relaxed his tense muscle and stared up at the ceiling, disappointed that he couldn't keep his eyes on the stars.

To see that _something_ that he has been looking for all this time.

"Goodnight." He responded.

Closing his eyes, Tahno was unaware of the fog shifting the night, like some large blanket being lifted. Like a fluttering light, the moon came into view, wide and full, her bright light shining down on the cobble stone streets of the Republic City, casting around the Bay and illuminating a girl on her polarbear dog as she ran through the night.

Instead, his last thought simply was: _I didn't leave the damned oven on, did I?_

* * *

_Everything was hazy, like an old film, with a warming glowing light that seemed to bleach out any real detail. He was running, and everything was wet and warm, the sound of crickets humming and the buzzing of cicadas from the thick old trees. _

_He looks down at his feet, noting that they are much smaller than they are supposed to be, children's feet that is. They are bare, wiggly little toes, lightly tanned from the unforgiving sun that beat down between the spaces in the branches and covered in mud. _

_He was running through the shallow waters as if they were nothing, the murky liquid not deep enough to mask the stones and vines, but it wouldn't have stopped him regardless._

_Bullfrogs cried out as he turned the corner and his giggled as he tried to reach for them, jumping along and mimicking the croaking. When had he ever been this carefree?_

_Then, he felt eyes on him, not the kind that were frightening and cause shivers to erupt along your spine, but the kind that made you feel warm, protected._

_Happily turning, his eyes left the swamp animals and locked on a woman standing in the shallow depths._

_Her light tanned skin was shimmering in the low lighting, her body covered in a green dress with a wooden chest plate. Her fingers were knitted in her long, wavy brown hair which in turn had swamp flowers woven inside it. Her pale, violet eyes sparkled at him and her rounded lips smiled up at him. Smiling she bent the water around her spinning it happily and beckoning him closer. _

_She was the most beautiful woman in all existence._

_He ran towards her, but she giggled and continued to dance around the swamp, getting further and further away from him. Cursing his small legs, he tried to catch up, wanting nothing more than her warm embrace. _

_Suddenly he found himself alone in a clearing, the light particularly concentrated, creating a blinding shimmer. Frowning, frightened by the unfamiliar setting he called out to the woman._

"_Mum? Mommy?" _

_He felt eyes on him again, and he spun towards the light. But instead of the soft smile of the woman, he found a different figure. _

_A girl with long, white hair, floating in the middle of the air with her dress billowing around her. She in turn lifted a translucent arm towards him, her fingers beckoning in a similar way his mother's had been._

"_You've been looking for me." She stated, her voice echoing as if she was very far away, "I've come to speak to you, Tahno from the Foggy Swamp Tribe. For you seemed to have figured it out."_

"_Figured it out?" He repeated, his voice so high and small, lacking the roughness and deep tone he'd later earn through life. His mind suddenly snapped back to the calling of the water he heard earlier, the screaming and the strange barrier. _

_The white woman's lips turned upward, and whispered to only him as if the topic was taboo:_

"_The secret."_

* * *

_There it is_

_Please be kind to Yu and Nergui, they have a very special place in my heart. I really thought them through before adding them into the story, and they have some interesting pasts that I think you'll enjoy. But please tell me what you think of them, and for spirits sake warn me if you think they become anywhere NEAR mary sues._

_And yes, I did make Tahno from the Foggy Swamp, but I put a twist on the fanon that you'll find as we explore his tale a little further._

_Interesting notes that you might find fun (relevant) to the plot are: Huan Yu's name is Chinese and literally means "Happy, Joyous" and Nergui name is Mongolian and means "No Name" and is traditionally used to MISLEAD BAD SPIRITS._

_That is all. _


	10. Chapter Nine

_Thanks to everyone who commented on my OCs, I hope the next few chapters will make you love them just as they have made me love them._

_I swear though, I don't even write the chapters, the characters take over and write them using my fingers. Yu and Nergui are restless to show you who they are. Lol. _

_You'll see in this chapter, that for Tahno, absence makes the heart grow fonder. _

* * *

_And it scared you how tightly I was holding/ and it scared you to let go/ you never thought that I was ready/ you just lied to make me whole._

* * *

"_Who are you?" The child quivered, staring up at the white lady in a mixture of awe and fear. She giggled, placing her hand demurely over her lips, her wide translucent eyes looking straight through him._

"_You already know the answer to that question." She smiled, "But first, you must come and find me."_

"_Find you?" The boy asked, wringing his hands together. _

"_I have chosen a great path for you, child. I have aligned all aspects to lead to where I wish for you to go. Every encounter, every challenge is now my doing. But, I cannot lead a horse to water, you must come find me." She answered, fading into the background of the swamp._

"_Wait! How will I know where you'll be?" He called to her disappearing figure. _

"_You already know the answer..." _

_And suddenly she was gone, and the swamp turned into the pro-bending arena._

_The masked bastard was walking towards him, his rough hands edged towards his forehead. Crying out, he realized that this dream was swiftly becoming a nightmare. _

_Not this again._

"_Please I'll give you anything, just please don't take my bending!" He pleaded and pleaded and spirits damn it he begged for mercy but the cold, piercing eyes behind the mask seemed to not waver as calloused hands pressed forward. Cringing, he tried his hardest to crawl away, to just get the hell away from the monster but he found himself unable to move._

_He was alone, in darkness except the one spotlight that illuminated him and the demon that haunted his every thought._

_Crying out, he felt the hot tears pour down his cheeks. In the darkness somewhere, he knew there was a whole area filled with people- none brave enough to save him. None brave enough to speak up against the tyrant. They watched in a horrified silence._

_But then her voice echoed through the arena, and the masked man looked up to find the sound._

"_One cannot take back what was stolen, but one **can** earn back what is being held from them." _

His eyes snapped open, breathing heavily through his mouth as he frantically looked around the room. The light that pour in through the tiny window casted a beam of light on the side of his bed, which drew his attention to the gleaming eyes of the man sitting on a bed of his own.

Nergui sat on the mattress, in the exact same position Tahno had last seen him in. His green slanted eyes bore right through him in the darkness, and it made Tahno's stomach squirm.

"Whatever! Don't tell anyone this happened." He threatened, rolling over to face Yu's slumbering body instead of the silent judge. He felt mountain's eyes on the back of his head for a few moments longer before it seemed the man looked away, finding something else to stare at.

He unnerved Tahno. Tahno didn't like being unnerved.

* * *

"Mornin' sunshines!" The gruff police officer from the day before called out, banging on the metal door before letting himself in, his hands filled with a tray of breakfast.

Or, at least that's what it was supposed to be.

It looked more like something the Avatar's polarbear dog would have spit out.

Yuck.

Yu shot up from the bed and loped over to him.

"Thank you!" He responded his spirits high this morning, his golden eyes shimmering in the morning hues.

Tahno had to laugh at the incredulous expression on the police officer's face at Yu's good manners. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline, his jaw headed in the other directions.

He sobered instantly though when he remembered where he had seen the expressions before.

_Korra_.

Frowning, he tried to decipher what the aching in his stomach was whenever he thought about the blue eyed girl.

"Come, Tahno! The food's not actually so bad. Pretty good for prison food." Yu called, waving his hand at Tahno to snap him out of reverie.

Groaning, his entire body sore from the crappy mattress he slept on, he swung his long legs over the side of the bed. Standing and stretching the dark teen rolled his eyes towards Yu.

"You have a lot of experience with prison food?" He teased, watching Yu's expression from the corner of his eye.

Yu turned to face him, big round eyes blinking innocently, before collapsing into a large grin and chuckling softly.

"You're funny." He teased back, sarcasm not sounding quite up to par today, as he moved to set up breakfast.

Tahno felt Nergui's eyes on him, and he looked over to see the expressionless man's face. His green eyes were again on Tahno, an unspoken question mark not on his face, but in the air between them.

"What?" He asked exasperated, putting both hands on hips in a very Korra-esque move.

When the man didn't so much as blink at the question, Tahno shrugged his shoulders and sauntered over to Yu to receive something to eat.

His mind replayed last night's dream, with the woman in white and he absentmindedly took a bowl full of soggy rice from the happy young man.

Who was she? What did she want from him?

And more importantly, _why_ would he have dreamed of his mother.

Tahno frowned at the thought. He hadn't seen his mother for _years_ now. At least since he was ten. And he hadn't been back to the swamp since he was at least that age as well.

He remembered her kind pale eyes, her long brown hair, her lightly tanned skin and her beautiful looks.

"_Momma, where I am going to go?" The little boy asked, his hands tangled in hers._

"_To Republic City with your daddy. He's gonna teach you lots of things. Smart people things. You'll have lots of fun there." She responded, her big eyes not quite smiling even though her lips were._

"_Why don't you come too? We's could both learn smart things?" He wondered, clutching her hands a little closer._

"'_Cause the city ain't no place for me." She stated firmly, her eyes leaving his and looking up at the other figure in the group._

_He was tall, and Tahno had to look and look and look up, up, up to see him face. His skin was so pale that it almost seemed crystal clear. His pale brown eyes looked sadly down at the pair, his dark hair done perfectly in a tight topknot. In on hand, he held the hilt of a sword that rested in the belt of his violet outfit while the other held a helmet that matched._

"_We'll have lots of fun together, won't we Tahno?" He asked his voice deep but friendly. Tahno brighten at the words- he gets to spend all this time with his dad, that awesome!- but still was frightened about leaving his mother._

_He'd __**never**__ left his mother. _

"_It's alright Tahno, your daddy gonna bring you home to visit me. We's can have fun together when he does. 'Kay?" She smiled, before kissing both his cheeks and leading him to his father._

_The man slowly bent down and took his hand, clasping the small lightly tanned one in his own, large pale one. _

"_Think on the Brightside, Tahno. I'm going to make sure you learn waterbending from the best benders in the city. The best in the world! And you'll love the tall buildings; they climb up just as tall as trees..."_

"Trust me, it's not so bad. Don't just stand there and look sad about it." Yu's voice interrupted his impromptu trip down memory lane.

Warily, he placed the chopsticks in the bowl, collected some of the rice on the end and rapidly stuck it in his mouth like a child trying to get having medicine over with.

YUCK!

Tying hard to keep it down, Tahno's face scrunched up and his mouth turned into a disgusted scowl.

Oh, what he'd give for some traditional watertribe food from Narook's Seaweed Noodlery. And maybe have a disgruntled avatar tell him all about the terrible love nest that is Masami.

Damn it, he _has_ to stop thinking about her.

Yu chuckled at his expression, placing his own rice in his mouth. He was sitting up on a metal beam against the wall, in a very nimble position with his feet propped up. Tahno didn't even see him move there.

Terrifying.

* * *

"Are you... Avatar Aang?" Tahno sighed, looking at the smiling boy sitting across from him.

"Aye! You're good at this." Yu smiled, his large eyes glittering. "Now, my turn. Hmm, let me guess. You're Tahno, right."

"Wow, your good at this." The boy repeated in monotone.

Yu rolled his eyes, but still smiled "You've been _Tahno_ for every round."

"Yeah, yeah. What of it?" He responded. Yu grinned and shook his head, his hair falling around his eyes. Tahno brought a hand to his own, trying in vain to fix it.

Then there is that moment.

The pivotal moment in everyone's life where they make a decision that will change their fate forever. The moment that everything boils down, the one that you'll look back on years later.

For Tahno, it came down to a simple conversation muttered between two guards on break, standing outside the three men's cell.

"Did you here? Avatar Korra has been captured by the Equalists?"

"Yeah, I heard Bei Fong bailed out her friends to go look for her."

_Avatar Korra has been captured by the Equalists._ A simple sentence that changed something in his mind. Perhaps he did owe the Avatar a debt, for helping patch up his life after it was stripped from him, or perhaps it was because they were _friends_ now and friends rescue friends after they've been captured by psychopaths. But Tahno suddenly felt whatever reserve and helplessness he had gained after that fateful night in the championship snap, leaving behind someone who was ready to _fight_. Who wanted to fight.

He may not have his bending, but he had two good legs, two good arms, a cunning mind and killer reflexes.

And a motive:_ Amon just __**pissed**__ him off._

* * *

_There it is. _

_Things are going to get interesting in the next few scenes. I even have some outtakes written to fill in some blanks for people: more about Yu and Nergui meeting, and more about Tahno's mother and father._

_Our little Tahno's going to go out there and kick some Equalists butt. He's all grown up! And he misses Korra- even though he doesn't quite realize it yet. _


	11. Somebody Told Me: Outtake

_I know I just updated like two hours ago but this was an outtake that was to explain how Yu got Nergui's name out of him while it was just the two of them in the prison cell._

_This just didn't really fit into chapter nine, it deviated from where I wanted it to go, so it became an outtake._

_The chapter is named after the Killers song that I just as the quote right below. lol._

* * *

_I'm breaking my back just to know your name/ But heaven ain't close in a place like this/ Anything goes but don't blink you might miss._

* * *

"Welcome to your new home," The officer pushed a boy into the room, but the child did not stumble, but instead simply altered his stride and loped in like he had wanted to be here. He turned large, gold eyes towards the man sitting on the bed, arms crossed against his chest, scared eyes looked at him with no judgement but no acceptance either.

"Well, hello!" The man-child called, shoving his hands into his pockets rolling back on his heels as if he was shy.

The mountain man didn't blink.

"I'm Huan Yu. You can just call me Yu, though. Everyone does." He tried again, speaking louder just in case the man could not hear him.

No response.

"What's your name?"

No response.

"Hmm. Not much of a talker are you?" The boy, Yu, asked, putting a fist to his mouth and biting down on a knuckle in thought. He turned one eyebrow up in question, studying the large man with the slanted green eyes.

* * *

"Well, what do you think?" Yu asked, turning his eyes to silent man on the bed beside him. He had been reading some historical saga given to him by the guards in hope, in their words, that he will _shut up_.

"Do you think she should have burned down the country in her love for him? I mean, riding a dragon into battle is one thing, but in revenge for the fact that the boy had to marry the princess is kind of extensive. Personally, I think it would romantic, but still a little over the top."

No response.

"Do you like dragons? I am particularly fond of them myself. Temperamental creatures. Or, so I've heard. Their extinct of course, _I've_ never met one. This is just from what I read. Did you _really_ think I met a dragon? I'm not a time traveller man." Yu rambled, waving his hands around, his handsome, boyish face expressive as he talks about _absolutely nothing_ so in depth. The boy had a mouth on him. A chin wager that is. Never stops talking.

The mountain man with the green eyes didn't even blink.

* * *

"Where are you from?"

No response.

"Well, I want to say you're not from Republic City. Neither am I. I am from the Fire Nation. You, though, I peg you as an Earth Kingdom fellow." Yu prompted his hands raise in question.

"Ba Sing Se?"

No response.

"No, I didn't think so. I'm going to say, Omashu?"

No response.

"Okay, I didn't think you were a city boy. So, from one of the Provinces huh?"

No response.

"Hmm, how about Shen Province?"

"Okojin? I heard they breed big guys like you there..."

No response.

"Matsu? Taka?"

Nothing. Yu huffed and scowled, the expression looking out of place on his usually happy demeanor.

"I'll figure it out, you know. Before all this done. I'll get you to talk."

* * *

"Then, when he was fourteen years old, he had an Agni Kai with his father for speaking against him in the war meeting, and his father burned and banish- okay, you _have_ to tell me your name." Yu demanded.

He had been here for three months, trying to talk about anything and everything to see if the scared man would make some sort of recognition that he existed.

And he was rapidly running of topics to talk about.

No response.

"Okay, lemme guess your name then, since you so adamantly refuse to tell me what it is." Yu compromised, facing the man with his legs crossed and stern look on his face.

"Is it, Chan?"

Nothing.

"Hida?"

Nothing.

"Jirou?"

Nothing.

"How about Lee?"

Nothing.

"Not even Lee? There are _thousands_ of Lees! Are you sure your name isn't Lee?" Yu sighed, and when there was predictably no response again from the green eyed man on the opposite side of the room, he finally let the light fade from his eyes, and his rounded mouth fell into a pout.

The man noted the fall in the bright boys expression. He had been valiantly trying for small talk and finally found out that _he_ was not one for prattle. But there was something about the faded look in his eyes and grimace on his face that caused the stoic man to frown, a small down turn of his lips.

Yu was looking at the scratchy blanket that covered his mattress when he heard a quiet but clear, rough voice echo through the metal cell.

"Nergui." The tone was deep, but not unkind, yet almost as expressionless as the man who it belonged to. Nergui watched the gold eyed boy's face wiped towards his, and then his expression lighted up again, smile wide and eyes twinkling.

"Nergui." He tested it himself, and Yu found the foreign name interesting on his tongue. "You're right, I _never_ would have guessed that!"

To Nergui's dismay, the boy launched into more stories and tales, his momentary depression short lived as he bounced back into his happy demeanor.

But Yu couldn't tell, for his face remained as impassive as usual.

Unknown to Nergui, Yu's smile wasn't due to the stone man opening up to him, but was the fact he was right: he knew he'd get Nergui to talk.

Yu _always_ gets what he wants.

* * *

_Here's a little more insight to Yu and Nergui. _

_[There may or not be forshadowing in this outtake. I'll never tell ;P]_

_Tell me what you think!_


	12. Chapter Ten

_This one is so short I feel embarrassed about even posting it, but it's been a while and I didn't want you guys to think I was giving up on you. "I ain't quitting you!" _

_This was a hard chapter for me to write since I'm no good at fight scenes, but hopefully it gets the message across._

* * *

_I'm gonna fight 'em all/ a seven nation army couldn't hold me back._

* * *

The cold bars of the door were his hand before he remembered moving.

"You have to let me out! I'm Korra's friend! You have to let me find her!" The dark teen was desperate now, his mind replaying his own horrible experience mixed with the medley from his nightmares.

He remembered the wide, bright ocean coloured eyes pleading with him to do something, anything. He remembered the way she walked with her arms around her waist, her eyes scanning the dark alleys, waiting for them to jump out at her. He remembers the sound of her laugh, the ridiculous facial expressions and the way her entire face went red when he teased her about _catching-cooties_.

That was only days ago, so how comes it feels like years?

The officers looked surprised, but then easily sneered at him, one waving him off with his hand.

"Come on kid, you really think we'd fall for that? You're in here for being an Equalist!" The closest one stated, his annoyingly thin mustache waving as he spoke, causing irritation in Tahno to pile on top of the raging urgency.

"I'm not an Equalist!" He let his palm smack his forehead, then allowed his fingers to tug his hair- a nervous habit he must have picked up from said Avatar. "Honestly, why do you even believe a word Tarrlok says?"

"Regardless kid, neither of us are letting you out. Besides, if you were her friend, Bei Fong would have let you out."

Scowling, he pulled away from the door and started pacing, feeling both Yu's and Nergui's eyes on him.

"I need to get out of here. I have to help her." He muttered, repeating the phrase over and over again, feeling this sense of dread build in his stomach.

That bad feeling. The one that _knew_ that was the last time he'd see her.

He _couldn't_ let this terror happen to her too.

_I need to get out of here. I have to help her._

"You're friends with the Avatar?" Yu asked, his owl eyes blinking at Tahno and at the moment it made him want to rip them out of their sockets.

"Yes. She helped me when I needed help, and now I owe her the same favour."

"Okay." Yu stated, his face falling into some kind of mask. His wide eyes went hard, his round smiling mouth became a grim line and his boyish handsomeness left for something almost rugged and inflexible. "Then we'll get you out of here."

Tahno looked around to the company he'd been keeping; the silent and unnerving Nergui and the pleasant yet probably bipolar Yu.

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" He asked, sort of condescendingly, how this team of outlawed misfits was ever going to break out of one of the best prisons in the world.

"Like this." A very deep voice stated, rough from underuse but not disagreeable and Tahno jumped at the sound. Nergui stood from his spot on the bed, not at all stiff from the long time sitting and seemed to tower over both the other two young men in the room.

"I think we should move." Yu stated, pulling on Tahno's sleeve.

"Good idea." He responded quickly, both of them scurrying off into the far corner of the cell as Nergui took a few solid slow steps to the middle of the room.

With a grunt, he quickly slammed his fist in to the ground, the sound of metal crunching echoed through the entire hall and from the place where he stood to the place outside the room was completely destroyed, the metal bent in on itself and the door resting against the cell opposite to them where it had stayed after being forced off its hinges.

After a few moments the two police officers found the bravery to peek their heads in the cell, their eyes blinking and their knees shaking as they viewed the giant man in the center of the room.

With a call, Yu rushed forward into the hall, spun up on his legs and sent a wave of fire at the first officer, sending him down the hall and knocking him against the wall. Then, before the other could react, he jumped and slammed the other into the ground, the fire bright and hot as it spread into the room.

Tahno still stood in his spot.

_Okay, so that's how they were going to break out of one of the best prisons in the world._

Yu stood up quickly, his wispy hair falling back into place perfectly as he smiled and beckoned toward the dark teen.

"We can go this way." He stated impishly, his eyes twinkling and bringing Tahno out of his state of shock.

"Sure, sure. Sounds good to me." With Nergui following behind, he rushed forward of the cell, only to see more officers arrive at the scene.

"What? How are they in the nonbender wing?" One called, shooting wire from his wrists, hoping to catch Yu.

Ducking, the bright boy lurched forward and uppercut him, the fire raging from his fist. Then bringing his leg up as swinging, he sent the other two slamming against the metal and stone walls.

Tahno and Nergui rushed forward to meet up with him, Tahno still reeling from the fact that a) they were both dangerous and talented benders and b) Nergui could talk. He was being to believe the man was born without a voice box.

He didn't know which one confused him more.

Running down the halls, Yu taking the lead and Nergui following like a giant shadow from behind, they passed by the evidence room and Tahno knew just what he wanted to grab.

"Pitstop!" He called, ducking into the room. There, on the middle shelves of the rack sat Equalist gloves, and he rushed forward and snagged one.

It felt just as cold and just as heavy in his hands, but this time he strapped it to himself, the weight reminding him of his new found power as opposed to bad memories.

Wiggling his fingers from inside, he watched metal plated fingers move in response, and saw the little light glove as the glove erupted into lightning. For a moment it felt as if he had traded waterbending for firebending, the way the little light let off a heat in his hand.

Smirking to himself, he stepped out of the room and placed his gloved hand against an approaching officer's shoulder, watching him go down in shock.

He could get used to this.

Nodding at Nergui who had wrapped two officers in a sheet of metal, the three again ran down the halls, headed right towards the exit.

_Amon wouldn't know what hit him._

* * *

_Don't doubt the group of misfits. It's always the villains major flaw. They always doubt group of misfits._

_Proof: "I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids!" _

_Yes, Nergui is an earthbender/metalbender and Yu is a firebender. I'll get more into that later. _

_As well, I again apologize for the crap that is this chapter and the fact it took so long. My only defense is that Tom Hiddleston is in filming only about half an hour from where I live. I have been sneaking over to try to see him as much as I could. I have yet too, but I did see where the set is. _

_That and my laptop is dying a slower death than Burger King. Anyway._

_Thanks for reading. _


	13. Chapter Eleven

_Hello, dears. Sorry again about the big gap between updates. I had gone to a baseball game and got heat stroke, threw up in public and had to be wheel chaired out of the stadium. It was quite the fiasco. I have been nursing a wounded ego and bruised pride ever since. But here is is._

* * *

_I'll take my horse and I'll ride the northern plain/ To wear the colour of the greys and join the fight again_

* * *

The boy had simply been trying to sell newspapers.

The kid was standing in front of the police headquarters hoping to sell a copy or two to some officers or businessmen who walked by. Trying to make an honest living. Trying to get himself off the streets.

Unfortunately, he chose the wrong place to be this morning.

A loud bang erupted from behind him, and the kid spun on his heel, his eyes going wide as a man as large as Republic City itself burst through the door of the building, his skin a tone that was somewhere between tan and pale and seemed almost olive hued in the morning sun. He turned his two, slanted green eyes towards the child. Over his right eye were three scratches of varied length and they seemed like menacing scars to the young boy who could hardly hear his teeth clacking in fear over the sound of his knees shaking from terror.

The newspapers scattered all over the ground.

Beside him appeared a lean figure with his fist still smoking, but his eyes were bright and pleasant. He smiled ruefully and tilted his head up towards the rising sun as if it was an honoured lord. On the other side was a man with an Equalist glove strapped on his arm and a grim line set on his mouth.

The shadow-man. The one who took a newspaper from him.

"I have somewhere we have to stop first." He stated dourly and he started towards the residential districts.

Fearfully the boy watched as they pasted him, not giving him a second look-besides the large mountain man. The man brought his hand up, and the boy coward, only the feel the large hand place itself on his head in an almost fatherly manner. Eyes snapping open, the little street urchin saw the man give him a small upturn on his lips, a twitch really, and his green eyes had something kind behind them.

But as quickly as it happened, it was over, and the large man followed the other two down the street, disappearing behind the tall buildings.

Still shaking the boy picked up his newspapers and vowed that he was going to go far _far_ away.

Somewhere things made _sense_.

He feared Republic City wasn't one of those places anymore.

* * *

They arrived at Dragon Flats faster than Tahno thought they would, the rush from fight leaving their bodies reeling. The dark teen quickly unlocked his apartment, and the former cellmates entered.

"This _is_ a nice place you have here, Tahno." Yu complimented, as he fingered a vase with blue dragons painted delicately on it. Fearing for the life of the antique, the dark teen quickly turned to the pair.

"Don't touch anything. In fact, don't move. Stay right there Yu. Just stand. Be careful breathing too." He ordered. Fake saluting, Yu shoved his hands in his pockets and blinked. Tahno felt his eyes touch everything just as his inquiring fingers would have.

If he hadn't helped him break out of jail, he would have insisted Yu waited outside.

Nergui, on the other hand, he wouldn't insist do anything. Tahno's mind was still spinning from the fact the man had a voice box and could level the entire police station if he wanted too.

He did not want Nergui to level his apartment that's for sure.

Rushing into his bedroom, Tahno's eyes fell directly on the sword hilted above his headboard.

His father's sword.

It had been one of the only things left to him from the man, the other being a hefty sum of money.

Stepping up on the mattress, his hands reached for the weapon, his hands for some odd reason that he didn't quite understand shook. His fingers landed on the cold hilt, the tips tracing the engravings. A dragon's open mouth not breathing fire but instead a lotus, a symbol of the order his father fought and died for.

A symbol now, that Tahno traced reverently, his mind bring up images of the man who had been his hero, the man he owed all his regrets and all his accomplishments too. A man he had tried to hate, but couldn't no matter how hard he forced himself too.

_The man before stood in a dark violet uniform, almost blue in hue, his pale brown eyes filled with a sort of sorrow that was quiet, but no less true- a man's sorrow. His face becoming wrinkled and tired, no longer the youthful man he remembered from his memory._

"_Tahno, I must away to the Northern Fire Nation. There have been uprisings caused by the Fire Lord's resigning. Many do not believe such a thing should be possible. You'll be fine here by yourself, yes?"His deep voice asked, his dark almost violet hair pulled back in a topknot, looking too much like his sons._

"_Of course, I'm fourteen now father. I'm not a child." The boy responded rolling his eyes at the man's concern._

_Sighing, the older man reached towards his son, placing his hand heavy on the boys shoulder, looking straight into his eyes- the pale colour staring accusingly back up at him._

"_You are much like your mother, Tahno. Stubborn, set in your views. I know you don't understand why I have to leave so often, why I choose to, or why we left your mother, but someday you might understand that I have only, for the moment I learn of your existence, fought to keep this a world where you can live without fear. A better place. No war, no death. Not like my father went through. Not like my grandfather had too. __**A better world**__." With a pause, the man sighed again, and pulled his adolescent son towards himself in an embrace._

"_Maybe, someday you'll forgive me. For all that I have done, all the despicable or seemingly wrong in your eyes, I have done in love. Love for you. Love for your mother." He murmured, and the boy felt himself fighting the watering in his eyes._

_He would not cry. He was a man now, not a little boy. His father released him and took one last look at the boy he had raised._

"_I love you son." _

"_I love you too, dad." The boy murmured as the man turned towards the door. With one last look back, Tahno watched his father leave for the last time._

Blinking, the dark teen pulled himself from the memory, shaking his head at the onslaught of _feeling_- good and bad- that came whenever he thought of his father.

Grasping the sword with determination, Tahno pulled it off the wall and stepped down from the mattress. In his hand it felt heavy- in a way that reminded him of expectations and legacy, a weight on his shoulders.

Perhaps he was being to understand, what it is to have something worth fighting for- and being brave enough to fight for it.

Pulling the blade from the leather and metal sheath, he waved it through the air, the metal shimmering in the sunlight from the windows and the reflected light proud and strong.

Walking back into the room, Yu turned his eyes to Tahno- from a different spot than Tahno left him, for the bright teen was looking through the stack of discarded posters of the former Wolfbat admiringly, his spirit damned fingers _touching_ his things- and followed the blade to the very tip.

"Do you know how to use a sword?" Yu asked after whistling at the beauty of the weapon.

His face falling, Tahno snapped his eyes from the sword and up to the bright teen. He smirked ruefully and swung the sword again. "Sure. Stick 'em with the pointy end."

Yu chuckled and shook his head.

"Besides, I won't need to when I do this." Tahno placed the blade in the hand that still wore the glove and squeezed: the lightning traveling up and around the sword, making it a sharp, charged weapon- the idea coming straight from the Lieutenant.

_Fight fire with fire. Fight Equalists with Equalists. _

Smirking, Tahno then sheathed the sword to his waist and place his hands on his hips.

"Well, I'm off to fight some Equalists. You two are free to go back to, where ever it was you came from." He stated, walking towards the door and holding it open for the two of them.

Nergui didn't move and Yu's jaw dropped.

"After breaking you out of jail you think you can just dismiss us?" Yu questioned incredulously, his eyebrows reaching high up on his forehead.

"Um... yes?"

"Oh, _no no no_. _We_ are going with you. You're going to need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest, thing."

"Well that rules _you_ out, Yu." Tahno stated cheekily, but his eyes then settled quite seriously on the two former cellmates.

Yu's face had a smile, but it was determined and quite fierce, his hands on his hips and his wispy hair falling about his eyes. Nergui's eyes were clear and impossible to see through all at once, and he nodded once at the dark teen.

"Alright. Then let's do this."

* * *

_I will not rest until I know the cause is fought and won/ from this day on until I die I'll wear my father's gun._

* * *

_There it was._

_Tell me what you think of the chapter please. Nergui seems to have a weakness for children- you'll find out why, and I made Tahno's father a member of the White Lotus- which I'll explore later. He had to meet Tahno's mother somehow, right?_

_Them me what you think of those two things. And for all of you who pick up my references, here's a gold star. Where it with pride._

_And if you haven't heard "My Father's Gun" By Elton John, Youtube it right now. It's my exact feelings that Tahno has for his father. _

_This chapter was partly inspired by the picture "tahnorra- opinions won't keep you warm at night" by shorelle on Deviantart. I just made it a real sword instead._

_Till next time,_

_Ciao bellas._


	14. Chapter Twelve

_Hey, are any of you guys still there?_

_I am so sorry I haven't gotten around to writing/posting I've had some serious family issues._

_My grandfather- not biological, but in every way that counts- had a stroke a few weeks back, and luckily it was a minor one and he didn't have to be in ICU. But, it really didn't effect my writing, since I could only drive to the hospital so many times, and I had school, and visiting hours were more restricted- until we finally got him a nursing home. Now, I spend so much time there, and it is exhausting- it really just drains your spirit since you need to pour all of yourself into taking care of the other person. I don't regret it though, because that's what you do when you love someone, and he gets so happy when I come to see him. So once he settles down more, when I don't have to visit almost every day, I'll be able to begin writing more regularly again._

_But I'm not abandoning you guys or this story. I enjoy sharing my creations, and enjoy all of you who are sticking around to read them. _

_My grandfather was a musician and artist when he was younger, and now, in his confusion and emotional stress that the stroke has caused him- and the paralysis of his dominant arm so he can't really draw or play any more- he keeps repeating to me and my brother: "Never stop playing." _

_So, although my brother is the musician and I'm the not I promised him and never would, and I'll take what he really means from this: "Never stop doing the things you love."_

_So here's a quick little chapter, not even 800 words, but it proves that I have dedicated myself to this and I promise I'll keep writing no matter what. _

* * *

_"I have run/ I have crawled/ I have scaled these city walls/ these city walls/ only to be with you/ but I still haven't found what I'm looking for._

* * *

"You have no idea where to start do you?"

Tahno growled, his patience already worn thin and he turned towards Yu and snapped. "Well, if you're _so_ wise, where do you think we should look?"

They had left Dragon Flats and had taken to running about the streets looking for any sign of Equalists. The good spirits they had quickly dropped after hours of looking and not finding a single hair that could take them to Korra. Nergui had been silent as usual, his cold green eyes scanning the streets and Yu had been determined for the first hour before collapsing back into his usual self. Chipper, loud and nonstop chattering about _nothing_.

Tahno had become more and more irritated to the point he was thinking about turning the glove on and pressing it Yu's face.

"Well, I'm not quite sure we'll find them just wandering around. If they have Korra, then they would be all focused on _keeping_ her. Especially if they know that there are parties out looking for her. I think we should start by logically thinking about where they could keep her without alerting people that they have the avatar. Now, this city is _huge_! There could be many places-"

"You just **love** the sound of your own voice don't you?" Tahno quipped, his face almost physically turning red and Yu was waiting for the smoke to come out his ears.

Yu sighed and rolled his eyes, but fell silent. There was a moment where the three former cellmates simply looked at each other in a way that said: _we didn't think this through, did we?_

But the moment ended when a large white mass appeared at the end of the street, its nose to the pavement and its breath filling the silence.

"Naga!" Tahno called, his voice reaching a strange high pitch and the polar bear dog lifted its head into the hair and its beady black eyes fell on Tahno. "Naga come here! Come her girl!" He called uncharacteristically, patting his knees.

Ears perked up, the avatar's spirit guide suddenly charged at him, its thundering paws shaking the earth. Happy face dropping, Tahno stared in horror as it cleared both Nergui and Yu and landed right on top of me.

"Please don't hurt me! Ah!" He squeaked, causing Yu to laugh at how much he sounded like a girl, all the while the polar bear dog licked him chin to scalp.

When she was looking for her human, Naga couldn't help but recognize the boy with the hair, his scent not nearly as over powering with fake human smells, but smelt like regular human. She was happy to see someone who knew who her two-legs was, even if they hadn't been on the best of terms when Naga first saw him. But the polar bear dog had been paying attention, and noted how her human would spend more and more time with this boy with the hair, even at times where they both should be sleeping. Naga founded herself trusting the boy since her human did, and that was enough for her.

"Ugh, stop please." He groaned and she realized that she had pinned him to the cobblestone. With one last lick, she dutifully stepped off the boy and sat beside him.

"Who is this?" Another boy asked, his smell was that of the sweet burning fires back home, not the stinky ones here in the city, and he had a kind smile on his face. The other human was large, reminding Naga for her human's father in size, and _looked_ dangerous. But the aura that came off him was one of quiet kindness and understanding.

In short, she liked these humans.

"Naga. It's the avatar's spirit animal." The boy groaned from the ground again, acting as if the tongue of Naga was harmful. He wiped his face again and again and looked downright pitiful with his hair sticking up in the air and his eyeliner smeared across one side of his face.

Recognizing her name, Naga wagged her tail, her ears perked up at the boy.

"Oh, so she could help us find Korra." The other boy stated, and Naga howled as if she was in pain at the sound of her two-legs' name. Walking around in a tight circle, she whined and sat again, nudging the boy with the hair's legs.

"Korra. Do you know where Korra is?" He asked his voice real slow and Naga's ears perked up again and stood up.

Placing her nose against the ground after one stronger sniff of the air, she began back on her path. She could hear the human scramble to his feet behind her.

"Wait, Naga! Wait!"

* * *

_Sorry it's so short, but I couldn't put it off any longer. I didn't want you guys to think I had abandoned you. I hate when your reading a story, getting really into it, and the author goes on hiatus. I promise, **no hiatuses**, but there might be gaps larger than usual between chapters._

_Thanks for your understanding guys! I have so much plot I can't wait to share!_


	15. Chapter Thirteen

_Well, there is a flu epidemic in the nursing home my grandfather's at, not on his floor, but my grandmother doesn't want me to risk getting sick so I can't visit him until that's all sorted out._

_This chapter was supposed to be part of chapter 12 and the beginning of chapter 13, but I like how this turned out better. _

_Tell me what you think when you reach the end. Some stuff kind of goes down._

_And thank you so much for the kind words- it means a lot. _

* * *

_Have I found you?/ Flightless bird, grounded, bleeding/ Or lost you?/American mouth, big pill, stuck going down._

* * *

Ocean coloured eyes blink up, the world a hazy place of cold whites and icy blues that is so achingly _familiar_ that she for a moment forgets everything that happened. The trees were but blurry masses of green against a pale background, the snow around her but a cold quilt that blanketed her legs and arms.

What was her name? Where was she from? _Did any of this matter? _

Her brain felt as if it was dislodged from the rest of her head, maybe as some sort of defense mechanism from the trauma that she knew she endured, but at the moment she just couldn't remember _what_ it was that happen to her. But she was quickly shocked back into reality by warmth, which is strange since it's usually the opposite.

There is a warm body, large hovering over her and a cold nose poking at her cheek. She turns weakly to see a white mass of fur and worried warm eyes. Gasping, she moves her arm from the pile of snow and strokes the large animals face.

"Naga." She chokes her voice rough from the transition between screaming to absolute silence and thick with sleep. The polar bear dog's ears perk up and she tries to get her arms wrapped around the beast, but her body seems content on freezing beside this tree- her ribs aching from the impact.

Moaning, her eyes catch movement behind her spirit animal, a figure in gray is running towards her. For a moment she stiffens with fear- Equalists? Amon? Tarrlok? She once again she tries to move, to bend, to do something that would _get away _from whoever was advancing on her.

She remembered now, the anger- pure, boiling inside her like a raging volcano ready to burst. The fight with Tarrlok, the pleasure that came from realising her bloody desires, the pressure easing from the guilt of having her friends locked away. The shock that came when her body stopped responding to her mind. The absolute fear that came from the malice in Tarrlok's eyes as he bent her to his will, growling and twisting her limbs in ways she didn't know they moved. She remembered the panic as she fought it- _let me go let me go let me go let me go._

She remembered the metal cage, the fear that she'd rot away in her until she was but a skeleton of what she was before. She remembered locking eyes with Amon, the way time seemed to slow as she burst from the wooden cottage. Although that mask covered his face, she could feel his smirk, his knowing eyes seeing the opportunity that lay before him.

_I've got you now, little girl._

She can see a face, a painfully attractive one, with smooth skin the colour of the snow around her, pale violet eyes that were narrow and slanted and high cheekbones that were accented by his dark hair. She felt as if she should have recognized his features, but his face kept coming in and out of focus so much it almost made her sick.

But once again all fears were shocked away when she saw his mouth open and heard a familiar voice voice.

"You look terrible."

* * *

Maybe that wasn't the kindest thing to say to someone who was attacked, captured, held captive and then obvious fought for their freedom to end up shivering in the snow against a tree, clutching their ribs and gasping, big blue eyes blinking up at him.

But he was so _damn_ grateful that she was here, looking dreadful with her lip cut and her cheek bruised and her eyes wide with terror, the oceanic colour whimpering in fear up at him. If he had found her any other way, tied up, suffering or cold and lifeless he-

He didn't know what to think of the emotion bottling up inside him, like a pressure on the bottom of his heart and the top of his gut. His hands yearned to grab her, to feel the blood pound through her just to prove to himself that she really is _alive_.

But he wasn't going to admit any of these things to her, so the only thing that came pouring out of his mouth perhaps wasn't the politest, but it wasn't a tearful confession of _something_ that was writing itself like a song inside him somewhere.

Keeping up with a polar bear dog when you got a crappy night's sleep on a prison bed the night before and were attacked outside your own house and squeezed by metal barriers the night before that is harder than Tahno had expected it to be. But the three prison mates dutifully followed the white spot of fur on the horizon.

Through the woods, around the mountains, to a small mass of blue visible against the base of a tree trunk.

Her eyes squinted, and she managed to make some sort of comment back, a jumbled something from her lips that sounded like _"Go jump in the river."_ Regardless, he took no offence as he was obviously supposed to because he cracked his head back and laughed.

Full out belly laughed, chortling and the sound echoed through the tress and probably all the way down to Republic City.

But she didn't care, because she was so damn grateful he was here.

* * *

The three walked through the streets of Republic City, heading towards the docks. Korra laid on her spirit animal and Nergui and Yu walked somewhat behind the pair of friends. Yu had been oddly and out-of-character-ly silent for the trip back, but he was wearing an ear to ear grin as he watched Tahno fuss over trying _not_ to fuss over the avatar as Nergui effortlessly hoisted her onto the polar bear dog, her eyes shut but her breathing regular.

The dog howled in the night, and suddenly the pair heard a groan from above. Tensing, both cellmates looked up to see a flying bison coming landing against the cobblestone street. Yu marveled at the creatures, large wise brown eyes blinking slowly and thick off-white fur glowing in the moonlight.

Jumping from the saddle on the back was another teen, his voice calling out the avatar's name as he practically plucked her the polar bear dogs' back, clutching her to his body in the way that Yu knew Tahno yearned to. He cradled her lovingly, practically pulling her inside him, his face openly expressing his relief. As he went to walk away, he was stopped by a dark hand reaching out and grasping the tunic of the tall dark teen. He leaned down to hear her, and then chuckled again, his hand clutching hers.

Even from this distance, Yu could see the desperate twitching of his fingers as the curved around his, his arm almost shivering with restraint. Then his eyes closed, and he slowly released his fingers from hers, standing with his hands at fist at his side, watching as the other boy pulled her onto the sky bison gently, the other children calling out to her.

With another groan the animal took off into the sky, and Tahno just stood and watched the creature fly away.

"Very interesting, don't you think?" Yu muttered to Nergui, the mountain man not speaking a thing in return, but he clearly gave out some sort of aura of agreement that the bight boy could read.

"Yeah, she's gonna break his heart." He murmured his eyes still on the teen in front of him, the captain of their little resistance, his hands still fisted beside him and his body still quivering. Yu turned his golden eyes to see the profile of the silent man, finally noticing something else in the stance of the large eartbender.

He stood tensely, like _he_ wanted to run off after the flying bison. Yu placed his fist up to his mouth and chuckled again.

"Very interesting indeed."

* * *

It was an old habit to take in his surroundings when it seemed other would otherwise ignore them. It was a happy occasion, the avatar was safe.

But it was an old, _old_ habit, and they are hard to unlearn.

His eyes scanned each face of the little group that landed with the sky bison, two boys, a man and a woman and then another head poked over the side of the saddle and-

Everything seem to freeze and the only thing that he could think was-

_Her_.

* * *

_The mountain range was behind him as he walked dutifully through the rolling green of the fields, only interrupted but the white of the winter flowers poking up from the cold ground. He was a peace here, the rolling blue sky and the clean, crisp air all things that he worshiped. He enjoyed the silence of the woods, the singing of the winds and the wisdom of the mountains._

_The village he was headed for was small, made of log cabins and stone halls. It too was quiet, the woman with their braided hair dried fish from the lake on their porches, there were men bringing in more baskets of the shimmering creatures towards them. Children ran through the square, their bodies' plush from the bundles of fur they were swathed in, and their laugher ringing like the sweetest bells through the town._

_A small one ran up beside him, her cheeks bright from the cold wind and her braided hair loose and wild from the adventures she surely was off having. He could see her lips moving, the memory had no sound to it now, only faces and feelings. Slowly, his lifted his hand to reveal a blue flower, the ones that bloom near the top of the mountain- her favourite ones. He watched her eyes, the green-gold colour snap up to his as she carefully plucked the flower from his hands. _

_He remembered the smile curl on her cheeks- the last one he ever saw on her._

* * *

_"More about Nergui's past? OH thebookunfinished you answered our prayers!"_ _No problem my little doves, ask and you shall receive. _

_OH, things are getting interesting! Tahno has something that is building inside him and Nergui is revealing more than he ever has and of course, Yu see **ALL**. _

_Tell me what you think my loves! I want to know if anyone can sense the direction this is going. And I believe I gave this timbit of information out privately but I thought I'd share it know- Nergui's past is more like Iroh's than any other character from the original series. _

_So, the quote goes either way for Nergui or Tahno: Have I found you? Or have I lost you?_

_Till next time! _


	16. Chapter Fourteen

_Sorry of the long wait time again my dears. My grandfather got into a really bad depression and tried to slit his throat in the nursing home- luckily it was a plastic knife and the nurses were in the room. Then he was sent to the hospital for a psyc evaluation and he was embarrassed that he had been so dumb- he was lonely since my sibling and my grandmother volunteered at the town's 1812 celebrations and couldn't stay with him._

_But luckily, he's been doing SO much better since, no longer depressed, and working hard on his therapy and everything's looking up._

_He'll be fine, we always knew it but now he's starting to understand it too, and his mind is as sharp as it used to be. He's also developed a **hilarious** sense of humor. _

_Anyway, here's this chapter, thanks for the patience loves. _

* * *

_Tell me where's your hiding place?/ I'm worried I'll forget your face/ And I've asked everyone/ I'm beginning to think I imagined you all along. _

* * *

People had always found him intimidating.

But it never really bothered him. People were _supposed_ to find him intimidating.

Perhaps sometimes he wished they wouldn't gape at him in fear, like he was going to snap and attack them.

He didn't really _attack_. He _never_ just attacked. He only ever _protected_.

There was a very clear and important difference in his mind.

Even when he was a boy, he had been tall, broad and quiet. Never really had much to say, content just to listen.

Listening was better anyway, because when you listen you _learn_.

His father had been a warrior. His father before him. For as long as they can remember.

His father had been quiet as well, his mother had been soft.

He remembers whenever he'd embrace her- which was not very often for he wasn't an affectionate child although he loved her dearly- he felt as if he'd break her.

But nothing had been as fragile as the little girl he was charged with.

He had been just a young man still, a teen, just a boy really of ten-and-six. He was given his first job, to watch the little babe the chief's wife had birthed.

A little thing, so pink and wriggling and a small little mouth that let out loud screeching cries that made his head ache.

But he had quickly grown to love her, quickly lived to solely protect such a small, delicate little person.

She had talked enough for both of them. Content that he'd listen regardless of what she'd be talking about. She'd wander around the village, just a little thing still waddling as young children do when they walk, with him but a menacing shadow trailing behind her.

And when the fire started, he was just too far away.

Why had he been so far away from her?

* * *

The three former cell-mates quickly went back to Tahno's to sleep. Tahno groaned and flopped into his large bed with the silk sheets and was asleep before Yu could ask where he and Nergui should stay.

Silently, Nergui found himself in a plush chair, his arms crossed and his head bent down with sleep.

Resigned, Yu fluffed a throw pillow and plopped himself down on the couch, his legs out stretched and his one arm curled under his head.

He was tired, but he was also _thinking_.

This could be dangerous if he had been left alone to think for too long.

He let his mind wander far, far into the past when his memories were a little bit brighter, his memory focusing on two bright eyes and blushing cheeks.

He too, had felt the boiling feeling of that _something _that was currently cooking inside his new friend. Back when those eyes seemed to be the only important thing on the planet.

But, life goes on. _Nothing is forever._

He was needed somewhere else, and the needs of the many out weight the needs of the few.

His wants for example, weren't very important in the scheme of things.

But maybe someday, _someday_ they would be met.

_Till then_, he smirked in the darkness, _let's see how things work out._

For things were _just_ starting to get interesting. He had a _feeling_ in his gut.

And Yu was _never_ wrong.

_Not yet, at least. _

_That'd be the day,_ he smirked.

So he closes his eyes, and let's sleep take him back to that place, a different life, a different time.

* * *

Tahno fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed, but it wasn't a restful sleep.

There was the stupid, unwelcome feeling that was brewing inside him that had to do with Korra that just screamed it was going to _ruin_ everything.

Then there was that dream he had.

_A girl with long, white hair, floating in the middle of the air with her dress billowing around her. She in turn lifted a translucent arm towards him, her fingers beckoning in a similar way his mother's had been._

"_You've been looking for me." She stated, her voice echoing as if she was very far away, "I've come to speak to you, Tahno from the Foggy Swamp Tribe. For you seemed to have figured it out."_

"_Figured it out?" He repeated, his voice so high and small, lacking the roughness and deep tone he'd later earn through life. His mind suddenly snapped back to the calling of the water he heard earlier, the screaming and the strange barrier._

_The white woman's lips turned upward, and whispered to only him as if the topic was taboo:_

"_The secret."_

"_Who are you?" The child quivered, staring up at the white lady in a mixture of awe and fear. She giggled, placing her hand demurely over her lips, her wide translucent eyes looking straight through him._

"_You already know the answer to that question." She smiled, "But first, you must come and find me."_

"_Find you?" The boy asked, wringing his hands together._

"_I have chosen a great path for you, child. I have aligned all aspects to lead to where I wish for you to go. Every encounter, every challenge is now my doing. But, I cannot lead a horse to water, you must come find me." She answered, fading into the background of the swamp._

"_Wait! How will I know where you'll be?" He called to her disappearing figure._

"_You already know the answer..."_

What did that even mean? To go and find her?

_It would help if he knew where in the Spirit World to look for her._

Are women are always so cryptic, or just the one he knows? _He doesn't even know her._

You already know the answer. The secret.

What secret?

He opened his eyes to the late morning sun as it beamed through his curtains. Although he seemed to have slept forever, his brain was still exhausted.

There were too many challenges to face if he stepped out of this bed. Maybe, he'll just never leave.

_He already knows the answer. _He wasn't entirely sure he even knew the question!

He thinks back to when that bat-shat crazy Tarrlok was 'rounding up Equalists' and the feeling that he was trapped inside his own mind. That something was holding him back from bending. That every drop of water was within his grasp, that it was ready to be bent, but he just _couldn't_ cross some sort of bridge.

And the hold exchange was hard to remember, as if it was something that could be felt, but not recalled.

Groaning, he buried his head further into the pillow, decided that yes, he would never leave this bed and the rest of the world with just _have to deal with it._

But of course, things never seem to work out for him anymore.

He felt the bed cave in before he was aware that there was anyone in the room. Two hands landed on his sides hard and the pounding in his head suddenly came back full force.

"Tahno, I'm hungry!" Yu whined, too loud and too _happy _for this early in, well this early in the afternoon.

The dark teen felt the irritation build in him as he turned his head to glare at the spirit's damned firebender, ready to drown him in a small puddle.

The glare –that-could-freeze-all seemed to have no effect on the happy bright boy, who beamed down at him, seemingly amused by the expression.

"Yu, you have twenty seconds to get off me before I use that stupid grin of yours as a noose and hang you from the chandelier." He warned.

"That's a really morbid threat for this time of day don't you think?" He mused, not even blinking at the hazard.

"It's not a threat, it's a promise." He tried to warn again, and began to attempt to wiggle out from under the firebender.

No luck, the kid's got a death grip on his bicep.

It was then when both their stomach's growled in unison.

"You're lucky I'm so hungry or I'd make good on that promise." He muttered, finally allowed to roll over and flung his legs over the bed. His side hurt from the fact he fell asleep with the sword still attached to him.

_Why didn't he take the damned thing off?_

Yu followed him like a puppy out into the living room where Nergui was standing silently.

"Fine, let's go get some lunch." He muttered, grabbing his wallet for he had a feeling that there would be no bright eyed avatar to pay for his noodles this afternoon.

_Damn that stupid wiggling feeling inside of him! Stop it!_

"Yes!" Yu jumped, his eyes gleaming and Tahno groaned at the noise.

_This was going to be another long day._

* * *

_Here it is. More about Nergui. More about Yu. Tahno's trying to put pieces together. There was a Spock quote. _

_Originally__ Tahno wasn't going to find Korra in the last chapter, but I felt I needed to have them meet before the finale. _

_Spoiler- our little band might be going away soon. A new OC- but that's pretty far off still. I need to flesh out our boys a bit more first._

_Let me know what you guys think! Pretty please? _


	17. Chapter Fifteen

_Hey guys, sorry this chapter took so long to get up. I spent a week at my sister's house and I just couldn't get my creative juices flowing there._

_The summer is winding down and I'm heading back to school, and it sucks that I didn't get as much writing as I hope done- but I couldn't have predicted my grandfather's stroke, so._

_This chapter is a little rushed, sorry if you can tell, but I couldn't keep you waiting any longer. Perhaps, when I get back to school and back to a routine, I'll be able to write more than my lazy ass wrote during my free time. Lol._

* * *

_Trouble/ he will find you where ever you may go/ oh oh/ No matter if you're fast/ no matter if you're slow._

* * *

"Oh, you're not with the lovely girl from before." The waitress commented, and Tahno felt his head throb for what seemed to be the hundredth time that morning.

"_Unfortunately_." He grinded out, his teeth would be but little stubs for clenching his jaw so hard.

He didn't even realize when he took Nergui and Yu out for "breakfast"- thought it was really a late lunch- that this was the same diner that him and Korra had bonded in.

The exact same spirits damned booth if he was correct.

Except this time it was Yu happily sucking on a strawberry milkshake and it was Nergui's expressionless face that greeted him from across the table.

He missed the menagerie of ludicrously overstated expressions and the witty banter.

_Stop squishy feelings! _He demanded, glaring at his stomach.

The waitress took the hint from his cold expression and Nergui's overall ominous presence and scamper off. Apparently Yu's face level warmth was no enough to keep her, even if he had smiled and flirted with her, managing to get free refills on his strawberry-goodness.

_He's more terrifying then the both of us combine. _The dark teen thought as he snuck a look over at the firebender who cheerfully sat beside him- Nergui took up one side of the booth completely.

The bright boy turned, and locked eyes with Tahno, and the dark teen could tell that there was something brewing behind that happy face. Yu smiled at him but it brought no warmth to the Tahno and he felt hairs stand up on the back of his neck.

_Terrifying_.

"So, where are we going now, boss?" Yu broke the silence, chewing on the straw absent-mindedly while Nergui stared passively.

Tahno sighed and rubbed his temples, pretty much accepting the fact he was stuck with the former cellmates. At least they were good fighters, and willing it seemed to follow him into battle- which he really hope didn't happen but it would because he life had become a big cluster of terrible.

"There's some place I need to go-outside the city. It's going to be a trip." He stated, watching Yu's eyes light up with mischief and cunning.

"Oh, an adventure. To where?" He inquired.

Tahno thought back to his dream, the woman in white and the image of his mother dancing in the shallow waters. The sun, the warmth and the place being far away from Korra and the firebender she so adamantly clung onto.

_Damn you to Koh's dark realm of terrors squishy feelings,_ he vented at his stomach again, before looking up and locking eyes with the expressionless man across from him.

"The Foggy Swamp."

* * *

"_Ferry to Hei Bei Forest departing in ten minutes." _The intercom called, and the three former cellmates clutched their tickets as they bordered the modern steam ship. It would be less than a day to Hei Bei Forest, and there they would take the train to Okojin.

Okojin was a province known in the past for its defiance against the Fire Nation and the trouble its gorilla troops caused for the soldiers trying to make it Omashu. West of the Kolau Mountains, it was made entirely of forest, and the leader of the stronghold deep in its wood was known and the Warden of the Woods or the Keeper of the Forest. The Keeper had seven sons, and the province was known for having tall, wide lumberjack like men. _Nergui like men,_ Tahno thought, _maybe that's where he was from? Would he tell us if he was_? The woods were thick and filled with terrible creatures- if the legends from Fire Nation foot crew were to be believed- and Tahno could admit he wasn't getting a good feeling about having to pass through.

From there they'd have to find passage to Omashu, and from Omashu they'd take a train to the small wooden outpost/train station outside the Swamp.

The last time he was there he was but a boy, afraid of the great move to the City, leaving his mother behind for a life with his father.

Now he would be going back- which he almost swore he never would- _and he had to bring Skippy and Shadow along as well._

Yu turned to smile at him just as he thought the rude nicknames.

_Terrifying_.

Perhaps what was most terrifying was yet to come, for Tahno boarded the Ferry and watched as it sped away from his home.

He never saw airships attack the city, and all he thought that night as he tried to sleep on the ferry was that he didn't say goodbye to Korra, and that didn't sit well with him at all.

* * *

He ran through the woods, his feet carrying him as fast as he could through the nonexistent path, hoping to lose them in the depth of the untraveled forest. He couldn't seem to be quiet- his breath huffing, his chain mail rattling, his feet thundering.

It was pointless, of course, for his assailants knew the trees better than they knew their own faces.

He tripped on a root, and took to tumbling down a ledge before crawling back on to his feet. He could hear them behind him, the sound of dogs barking and footsteps. He cried out, as his leg dripped red from the cut, wondering if the trees could be against him as well.

_Of cou_rse, he thought, _for each one sneered menacingly "oath breaker!" at him._

Why had he taken through Okojin? The woods were thick, and the men were swore protectors of peace and were gritty veterans- each larger and more terrifying than the last.

Behind him were the kin of the Keeper of the Trees. They carried battle axes and swords, all of them larger than the last but could fit their way between trees faster than any man he had ever seen. Shadows in the forest.

He would meet his death here; he was sure, by one of these solider-sons.

The dogs would catch him, and then the terrifying men. He would be brought to the Court, and they would verdict he was guilty for breaking his oaths to the king of Omashu, and he would be punished by death. If he was lucky, they'd take him back to the towering mountain city rather than punish him here. But, either way it was a short death or a prolonged journey to one.

But every man pleads for even mere minutes of life when he faced with his demise.

He should have fled to the east, not to the west.

His heart was hammering as he limped through the river that broke into a little clearing, the ground blissfully even in his stretch. Soon, he'd have to break through his woods. It can't continue forever!

A growl was heard and he whipped his head around, meeting the eyes of a snarling hunting dog. The creature must have come up to his hip, if not taller, it's eyes frightening amber and his coat as black as a moonless night.

Whimpering, the man waited for it to pounce, noting that the sound of voices were still far off, and fearing what the creature would do to him before they reached him. With a few ragged steps back, the man felt tears leak from his eyes.

His only warning was a slight _rap_ of a bow string and he felt the arrow pierce the leathers that covered his back.

Choking he managed to turn as he landed, so he could view which tale-worthy forest-general sent him to the spirit world.

His fading eyes widen as he saw a lithe body walk up to him, long mahogany hair barely held together by a braid and freckles along a straight nose. The creature rubbed up against the figure and it patted its head before it crouched to watch him gasp, a wide mouth with full lips pulling up into a smirk.

He had forgotten the daughter.

* * *

_A sneak peak at the new character, but it won't be for a few chapters before she is introduced._

_[Okojin was mentioned in the outtake Somebody Told Me. Yu asked Nergui if that's where he was from. I told you there was some foreshadowing in that chapter. There is more though, in that chapter. lol.]_

_Yeah, not really happy with how Tahno's part of this chapter turned out, but like I said it was rushed. _

_Lol Yu's nickname is Skippy in Tahno's mind. _


	18. Chapter Sixteen

_In which Tahno and Yu bicker and the author is an asshole for not updating._

* * *

_"Since my baby left/ I found a new place to dwell/ it's down at the end of the Lonely Street/ at Heartbreak Hotel."_

* * *

"I'm sorry sir, that's what it says here."

"_Please. Check. Again_."

"I'm sorry sir; it says only one room for you and your friends. There are unfortunately no other rooms available. There's nothing I can do."

The poor receptionist tried her best to hide behind the large, wooden desk as the strange, dark teen fumed in front of her, his pale face turning red with anger. With his jaw clenched so tightly together that the woman could hear his teeth grinding, he smiled- which looked more like a dog showing his teeth in challenge- and spun on his heel towards his companions.

After an exhausting boat ride to Hei Bei forest in which Tahno had sported an unrelenting migraine due to Yu cycling back and forth between being _overly_ excited over boats and violently tossing up his lunch- the one Tahno paid for- over the side of the steamship, he found that said companion had booked only one room for them at the Hei Bei Hotel.

"_Haun Yu._" He grounded out, approaching the firebender like a raging Komodo Rhino who was barely being held back by his rider.

"Oh dear," the bright boy responded, but there seemed to be no look of fear in his eyes, only mischief. "I'm in trouble."

Nergui's silence had a resounding air of agreement. Whenever one is full-named as a conversation starter, said one is in horrendous amounts of trouble.

"_You. Only. Booked. Us. One. Room?_" Tahno growled, and Yu had the right mind to hide the naughty gleam in his eye behind two watery golden orbs of apology.

"I figured we could economize by sharing, since I figured we had a budget on this trip. Besides, we shared a prison cell, this can't be much different."

"I'm going to shove my sword so far up your-"

"Tahno! I promise it will be _fine_. No need to threaten. Besides, if you keep frowning and glaring like that you'll get wrinkles."

Tahno's hands flew up to his face and soothed down all the terrible lines in horror and did his best to relax his face. Giving Yu one last sharp look, the trio walked up to their room, marching single file up to the third floor of the small hotel. Approaching their room, Tahno shot an angry warning glare behind his shoulder at Yu and opened the door.

The room had only one bed, with quilt with a hideous floral pattern on it that looked like a garden threw up all over it. The wooden floor was covered with a rug that looked older than Avatar Aang, and the dresser was only three drawers tall. There was one, smallish arm chair in the corner that was a terribly contrasting colour to the rug, the quilt _and_ the curtains.

And unfortunately, the windows behind said curtains were too small for Tahno to jump out of.

"_Yu_!"

"_What_? This is... quaint! _Adorable_ really."

"Nergui's _shoulders_ hardly fit into this room!"

"It will be fine for one night, you worry too much. We can manage. I'll sleep on the floor." Yu compromised, smiling his blindly white full mouth grin at the dark teen, who in turn had thunder clouds forming around his head.

Nergui then, as if sensing conflict, nudged past them into the room, threw their packs onto the bed and sat in the chair. The old thing gave a groan of protest, sagged a little under his gigantic frame and the mountain man crossed his arms in defiance of their little tiff.

And for some reason, just the way Nergui looked like a full grown Boar-q-pine in a china shop, with the little chair wilting under his weight made both teens burst into laughter, leaning against each other, pointing and gasping for breath.

Through their tears and squinted eyes both missed the quick quirk of Nergui's lips into something akin of a rare smile.

* * *

A whine echoed through the room and Tahno's eyes flew open at the sound. Trying his best to ignore Yu's constant sounds of discomfort from the floor, and the creaking of old wood everything he tossed and turned Tahno found himself glaring at the quilt trying to find some rhyme or reason to the pattern.

With another huff and three minutes of squeaking floorboards Tahno finally shot up from his place on the bed and glowered at the firebender.

"For the _love_ of all the spirits in the Spiritworld Yu_: SHUT. UP_."

"_But I can't sleep!_ The floor is so stiff and rigid."

"_OF. COURSE. IT. IS. IT'S. A. FLOOR._ The last time I checked floors _weren't_ soft and spongy."

"_Well_, I can't get comfortable. Can I sleep up on the bed too?"

"_NO!_"

"_Oh come on_! We can even sleep head to toe."

"Yes, like I want your feet in my face _anymore than I want your mug in my face!_"

"Come on! There's _tons_ of room!"

"You could have had your own bed _had you booked more rooms!"_

"_Oh, we're back on that again! _I said I was _trying_ to economize-"

"I have won the Pro-Bending Championships _five_ years in a row Yu. _I have plenty of money!"_

"Just like you have _plenty_ of space up there on the bed."

"Enough." Nergui's voice wasn't loud, but there was something in his tone that caused even Yu's hot blood to not only run cold, but to turn into tiny, brittle blood-cicles in their veins. Yu took this moment to jump up on the bed away from Nergui's chair and landed on top of Tahno, who gave only a _humph_ of pain before settling in quietly beside him.

"Headache." The earthbender added, his eyes like two glowing green headlights in the darkness.

"Sorry." Yu muttered in apology but Tahno wouldn't even open his mouth for that and stared bleakly up at the ceiling. _It speaks. IT'S ALIVE._

After about half an hour of silence, it seemed Yu suddenly boiled over and turned towards Tahno, his eyes glowing more like embers in the night then headlights.

"You were right Tahno."

"About what?" The dark teen muttered back as quietly as possible. Yu stared earnestly into his violet eyes-which reflected light like two tiny moon disks rather than produce their own- and set his mouth in a grim line.

"This quilt pattern _really_ is atrocious."

* * *

The train wasn't as fast as the ones in Republic City, but it was cleaner then the sticky city ones. Nergui sat on the seat in front of them, and in Tahno's mental image he pictured that the entire train would tip over whenever he moved. Again, Yu and Tahno ended up sitting next to each other, although they were refusing to look each other in the eye.

Through some series of events throughout the night, Tahno and Yu woke in the morning spooning together, faces practically pressed together and legs intertwined. When golden met violet in a state of horror, the two teens jumped off the bed and Tahno landed in Nergui's lap, which caused him to jump up again and fly into a rather comical rage.

Yu was embarrassed, but calm and Nergui's silence was one of such amusement that the mountain man seem to have a spring in his mighty step today.

Tahno really wanted to jump out the window.

_Damn those small windows._

Damn Hei Bei Hotel.

_Damn Yu and damn Nergui._

Why didn't we stay home?

_With Korra._

Yes, Korra is always fun to be around.

_But she's with the firebender now._

Damn firebending fire ferret.

_Is he more handsome then us? More fun to be around?_

Oh, come on subconscious really? No one is more handsome or fun then us.

_You realize that we are talking as if we are two separate people._

Yeah that is creepy we've got to cut that out now.

_Yes, _we_ have to._

"So, how are we going to get through Okojin?" Yu chirped from his window seat- _damn coin toss falling in Yu's favour. _

"Well, I assume we'll have to hire a guide. The forest is really thick I hear." Tahno replied, being careful not to meet the bright boy's eyes.

"Well that could be expensive, thank the spirits someone thought to economize."

"I'm going to hurt you some day."

* * *

"_Last stop, Okojin Forest Province." _ The announcement called, and the trio began to collect their things from the cabinet above the seats. _"Thank you for travelling South-Western Earth Kingdom Transit. Enjoy you're stay."_

There were very few people getting off here, for many of the business men travelling to Omashu take the long way by steamship to Gao Ling and use the express train to Omashu through the mountains. It takes almost twice as long, but is much more luxurious and scenic.

And Tahno should have taken that way instead.

Stepping off the train they arrived saw a town of things around the train station. There was a general store, a small hotel again, even though this one was more of a tavern, and there was a small market.

And the trees grew so tall that Tahno couldn't even see the tops and it reminded him of the Swamp. Granted, less of a jungle and more of a forest, Okojin was thick with tall, dark barked trees and rough terrain.

* * *

Yeah so sorry I haven't updated sooner. My writer's craft class sucked everything out of me in terms of creativity. Damn all all my time too.

Forgive me?

So yeah, Tahno and Yu were at each other's throats this entire time. I _missed_ writing bickering and bantering. Nergui had to pull out all the stops and _speak_!

They've made it to Okojin!  
New Character soon! Very soon.

And Tahno might be developing multiple personalities. Gollum. Gollum.

Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians! (yes I do hail from the land above. Which you should have guessed from my spelling of colour but my use of American slang).


	19. Chapter Seventeen

_Okay, a) this is the first chapter in a long time to pass 2,000 words, so you know something big is going down and b) things are going to be a little different from this point on, and I'm going to cower until the end of this chapter which could be titled _in which shit hits the fan and the author gets tons of reviews about why she threw it against the fan in the first place_ but instead it's just chapter 17. Kay, hiding behind Nergui now._

* * *

_Step one you say "we need to talk."/ He walks/ you say "sit down it's just a talk."/ He smiles politely back at you/ you stare politely right on through._

* * *

"Hey."

With a groan, the dark teen lets his eyes flutter open, trying hard to keep from squinting in the light. Lifting one heavy hand, he tries to make some sort of visor and observes his surroundings. His head is throbbing, and his bones feel like they're made of lead. It would have come to quite a surprise to him to find himself lying in the middle of the pro-bending arena, but his head and legs and chest and spirits damned everything hurt too much to be surprised. Instead he settled for confusion as he looked away from the spotlights and towards the figure sitting next to him.

Bright blue eyes. Tan skin. Ponytail and furs. _Korra_.

A sight for sore eyes, _literally_.

She was sitting on the stage beside him; knees pulled up with slender, muscular arms wrapped around them her chin resting on the right one. With a groan, he sat himself up, and also noticed that he was wearing his pro-bending attire.

The stands were completely empty and there was nothing but the spotlight and the two of them, the echoes of silence seemed eerie in the dark corners, and Tahno could have sworn that there was something sinister, something terrible lurking the shadows. But he pulled back from thinking of that, and turned back to wondering why he was here in the first place.

He had questions. Oh so many. _Why am I here? Why do I hurt all over? What happened? Where are Nergui and Yu and Ran? How did I get here?_ _Why are you here? How did you find me? What was it I had to tell you?_

That last one really stung. What was it? It was important. Oh so important. It was what he was running, rushing, racing back to Republic City for. It was what he was meant to do. Meant to say. His quest. But it hurt to remember and he was so damn glad to see her face with her blue blue eyes and her stupid expressions and the cocky grin that he allowed himself to forget everything else and relish in her company. It made him so _spirits damn_ happy to actually be close to her that it hurt in its own delicious and euphoric way. A good _freaking_ hurt. A kind that made him want to suffer in misery if it hurt _just_ this way forever.

_Who changed him into this uniform?_

"Really, that's what you started with? I can't contain my excitement for such a riveting conversation." He rasped out, his throat feeling thick like he swallowed ashes and burning timber and smoke. Why was he so hoarse? Had he been screaming? Had he been in the Si Wong Desert anytime recently? No... no if he remembers correctly he was, he was in the forest right? A wet forest. Some place he knew. _Where was he?_

* * *

"_Tahno please! Listen to me! We're going to get you out of here! Yu we have have to leave, now!" Blurry brown eyes appear above him with freckles across the nose. Another blurry figure runs in and everything goes black._

* * *

The dark teen startled for a moment but happily ignored whatever it was and turned back to the girl sitting beside him.

"Well, it's better than you look right now." She repeated heartily, and gave her such a happy grin to hear their banter that his face seemed to light up from the inside. Korra smiled back, but it didn't reach her eyes and it caused him too much pain to really think about.

Reaching behind her, Korra slyly pulled out a tub of something. Laughing, with his head thrown back and his belly shaking despite of the pain, the dark teen realized that it was _moon-peach paradise_ with two silver spoon sticking out the top, exactly like the ones in the drawer at home. _Or perhaps they were still in the sink? When was the last time he did dishes?_

"Here, sifu, I figured you'd need some of this." She chuckled, wagging her eyes brows and moving close enough to him so he could grab a utensil. Digging in, he swallows a delicious mouthful and smirks at her.

She doesn't make a move to eat any and it confuses him.

"Aren't you going to have any?" He asks, pushing the tub back towards him. "I promise not to be, oh how did you phrase it, 'a greedy, self-centered egotist'."

* * *

_A large bang, and some sort of wall or door gives way under giant hands and he can feel two bodies next to him. One is shorter and softer and one is taller and warmer and he is leaning all his weight on them. A voice calls out "hurry!" and they make towards the newly formed gap with his arms around their shoulders._

* * *

Again he experienced some sort of flash. It felt as if he was drowning. Floating between the surface and the bottom of the ocean below, and it was getting increasingly difficult to determine which on was which.

Korra smiles sadly at him with the same sort of watery eyes that he remembers from the night they first shared ice cream, spoons and feelings together, drawing him back to the task at hand. _How long ago was that? Days? Weeks? Months? Years?_

_What was he supposed to tell her?_ Damn it! I was so _freaking _important.

"I can't have any Tahno." She responds quietly, lowering her eyes.

"I just said you could, Ah-avatar." He teases but she doesn't look up. Suddenly the room doesn't feel as light and friendly and _heavenly_ as he thought it was and searches desperately for something to lighten the mood. "Oh come on. You're not watching you weight for that fire ferret are you?"

"No. I _can't_ have any." She says grimly, her face too serious and too dark for two friends sharing _moon-peach paradise_ in an empty pro-bending arena.

"Why?" He asks quietly, but is becoming increasingly worried about what her answer is going to be. He turns so he is a little further away from her and can really look her up and down.

She looks just like he remembers, blue tank top, baggy pants with the fur wrap around her waist. Her ponytail with the two in the front, her arm bands that she is never really seen without. Not a lick of makeup on her face, dressed for comfort not for looks. And those damn blue eyes that just _get_ him.

"Because," she whispered softy "I'm not really here."

"What do you mean? You're sitting right in front of me."

"Yes, I'm here, but _I_ am not really _here_."

"I still don't understand. If _you're_ not _here_, then where are you exactly?"

"You don't know the answer to that."

"No. That's why I'm asking." His voice raised an octave and he looked around the arena. "Why are we in the pro-bending arena Korra?"

"Because _you_ wanted us to be here. _You_ called me here. But both of us aren't _really_ here. This is just what you want to see, Tahno. This is just want your mind wants."

* * *

_Twang! Twang! Twang! The figure in standing protectively above him fires off arrow after arrow at an unknown enemy while another one lights up the room with fire like he's never seen before. The colours are so bright that he closes his eyes again just as another metal wall comes tumbling down around them under those giant hands._

* * *

With another groan he pulls out of the shadow and looks at her with a sinking realization. This, this was the bottom of the ocean, and it was a lot more sinister than he had thought before. _And he can no longer bend the water to get himself out of here._

_Bending... there was something about bending he needed to tell her. Spirits damn its so hard to remember. Think Tahno think._

"Then where I am, really? If it's not here with you." He swallows around the words as she finally lifts her eyes from the floor.

"I should have told you this earlier in this conversation, but I wanted you to rest. You have a big match to play." She changes the subject, her face collapsing into a easy grin and for a moment he realizes that it's not really her doing this but it's his mind because he doesn't _want_ to know the answer to the next question.

"What? _Korra, where I am_?" He worries his lips and moves to stand up.

"This one going to be really hard. Really give you a run for your money. And you thought that I was a tough, wait till you see who you're fighting tonight!" She laughed, becoming increasingly and increasingly less Korra-like than she was at the beginning.

The dark shadows in the corners he saw earlier suddenly seem to jump up like fans and cheer for the decent into madness he swore he was feeling. Spiraling, spiraling into depths unknown. Cold, tomb-like caverns that he realized he didn't want to go. Maybe that's why he had called Korra here. Who wanted to go alone? But he persisted, fought and clawed his way into the only bit of light here.

"_Korra. Where. Am. I?"_

With a sigh, she stands up beside him and holds his shoulder in a cold, ghostly hand that doesn't at all remind him of Korra. He looks straight into those blue eyes and his heart drops.

"A warehouse, Tahno. Somewhere Downtown. You're with your friends Yu, Nergui and Ran. I was really hoping I'd get to meet them some day." Her tone was full of sorrow as she squeeze his shoulder and looked dead back into his eyes with a sort of longing that made his heart _ache_. _They're so blue. So very blue._

* * *

_The female figure kicks the arm of the dark enemy that was reaching for him and in her brown eyes is a fire burning like the ones raging behind her. She calls out things, threats, challenges he doesn't know he can't understand but all he knows is that she's losing and he needs to get up because she's going to die protecting him if that's what it takes but he just can't get up. "Nergui!" a scream and it's dark again._

* * *

Something in him started chanting_ swim swim swim swim swim swim swim_ over and over again but his limbs seem to push him deeper and deeper into this something. _Fight. Bend. Defend yourself. Swim swim swim swim swim swim swim._

_Bending. What the freaking spirits was it about bending!_

"What do you mean, Korra?" He shook his head as if he was trying to understand, but the tears that began to pool in his eyes and the panic that began built in his chest told him that he already knew the answer to that.

There was a pause, when everything seemed to be still, and then she turned to him was a voice that wasn't even her own.

**"You're dead, Tahno. You're here because you're dying."**

Suddenly a flash and all the lights in the stadium go off and it was miserable outside, the rain pounding against the pavement so hard that the dark haired figure couldn't even hear himself think.

* * *

_ Where did I go wrong? / I lost a friend/ somewhere along in the bitterness/ and I would have stayed up/ with you all night/ had I known/ how to save a life._

* * *

_*Peaks out behind the very large earthbender.* Hello? Are you still here? _

_So you got the OC's name, Ran. But that's really not what you want to talk about, is it?_

_Well, please do **comment/review** what you thought of this **little** plot twist, if you will. _

_But I will say this, the next few chapters are going to written very similar with Tahno existing in two different worlds. The one he's in now, and the one where he is just arriving in Okojin. _

_Please. This author wants to make sure that she didn't kill any readers [like she killed her main character]._

_In other news, I re-read this entire story and fell in love with Tahno, Korra, Bolin, Haun Yu and Nergui all over again. I can't wait for you to fall in love with Ran. I'm loving this right now._

**AS WELL I updated my profile to show possible stories that I might be writing after I am finish with Unlikely. ****Unlikely should be about another ten-fifteen chapters long- that is just an estimate though. Of course, there will be a squeal for the next seasons if I can get it to fit. **Please check it out and message me if any one sounds good. I want to branch out past just the Avatar world- even though one of my stories takes place in the world again. 

**It would mean a lot to me if you'd pop over and check out my other stuff once we've finished our adventure here together. **


	20. Chapter Eighteen

___Hello, dear readers. I realize this has been like two months since I updated, but I have been sort of swamped with stuff. Between essays, tests and final projects and preparing for fall of this year, two siblings birthdays, surviving the 'end of the world', Christmas shopping and the extravaganza that is the birthday of the baby Jesus I have been completely and totally zapped of time. Although everyone knows that this is like, the holidays are the worst and best parts of the year. My grandfather is doing fine, as is the rest of my family and everything seems to be finally, sort of, leveling out and I am expecting that 2013 will have a little more structure to it than 2012 did. _

_Hoping that everyone had a great holiday, and that in the spirit of giving- if it's still kicking around and has buggered off yet- you can forgive me for not updating._

_I'd also like to welcome and thank all the people who have begun following the story since I last updated, there was a handful who joined it. So welcome loves! Thanks for joining in on my little adventure into what I have accepted has become and almost completely AU universe. I hope you enjoy my sense of humour, ever developing and (cough cough somewhat making it up as I go along) plot line and my wonderful OCs, Nergui and Yu and in this installment Ran!_

_I like her, I do!  
__So enjoy, this hardly got any editing so forgive me for it's rough exterior. Happy New Year!_

* * *

_"Stay right where you are/ don't be so foolish to try/ any courageous moves/ you won't be saving lives/ I didn't do I'll I'd done/ for you put me to shame/ Now in your final hour/ my legacy remains/ You won't forget my name." _

* * *

_He was not cut out for this._

_Surely, he was too evolved to do something like this?_

_Only animals should have to do something like this._

The former waterbender huffed along as he hiked through the woods, and Yu would get close enough sometimes to hear a never ending stream of choice curse words pour out of the dark teen's mouth- some very creative and clever.

He probably invented some that day.

Hiking was not what Tahno was designed for. He was designed for driving satomobiles through the nice, smooth, even _paved_ streets of Republic City, sipping tea on a balcony over-looking the park or eating in world-class restaurants with pretty girls. _Not_ hiking through the rough, uneven terrible and spirits damn it all forest with two, sweaty annoying guys.

Not to mention his hair looked absolutely dreadful today.

"Surely, there was a path?" He cried out, stumbling a little. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for Nergui- the giant that he is- could easily muscle his way through the forest without so much as a stumble or the fact that Yu was loping so gracefully and quickly over the roots and under the uneven branches without so much of a moment of uncertainty.

"No, there isn't." Yu called back happily, his voice adding to the chipper songs of the sardonic birds in the trees.

"What kind of _spirits damned_ place is this? That doesn't even have _paths_!"

"Cheer up, Tahno! We're going to make it to the swamp soon and you can figure out whatever it is that you need to figure out!"

Again, echoed through the forest were choice colourful curse words.

* * *

"Alright, break! Break!" Tahno shouted as he unceremoniously threw himself down on a small meadow that broke through the thicket of ancient trees. He had tried earlier, to get Yu to just burn down the entire freaking place, but the firebender looked insulted, and started lecturing something about all the spirits' creatures and how that we are all equal _blah blah blah..._

Tahno then occupied himself with musing about how if he were to suddenly die a slow painful death, it would still be better than listening to Skippy go on about the circle of life while stumbling about through the forest like savages.

"Fine, we can take a short break," the firebender too sat down on the grass while Nergui took a more civilized approach and sat on a tree stump, his arms crossed as usual.

The three sat quietly for a moment when suddenly another voice, somewhere from the trees, called down to them.

"You three realize that you've been walking in circles, right?"

Tahno jumped from his place and spun to look at Yu, "I told you that tree looked familiar!"

Yu had the right mind to look mildly embarrassed whereas Nergui stood from his spot and turned is head towards where the voice had come from.

"Show yourself!" Yu called, following Nergui's gaze up to the trees.

Abruptly, a lithe figure dropped from the tall branches and landed gracefully like a cat, before jetting upright and putting one hand on her hip.

The girl before them had to be about Tahno's age, short and slender, her long mahogany hair in messy braid over one shoulder and her eyes the colour of tree bark. Her lips were in a cocky smirk and her straight nose was dotted with freckles.

"What's your name?" Tahno demanded, one hand falling to his father's sword hilt.

"Ran." Her tone was mocking, and her lips curved around the words in the most contemptuously condescending way. Although it was a pleasant voice the manner in which the words were delivered made it sound like nails on a chalkboard to the dark teen.

"Ran." Yu repeated as if it would help him remember it.

"Yes, did I stutter? I'll repeat it slower if you need me to. If your memory is anything like your sense of direction..." She mocked, and Tahno's fist tightened around the sword hilt, the Sato glove almost itching to be lit up.

"Why in the spirits name have you been following us?" Tahno gritted out at the tone, his jaw clenched up and his patience hanging on by a thread. A very old, thin and feeble thread.

"I gave you my name, city-dweller. What's yours?" Her lips seemed to never leave their smirking position, and one thin eyebrow cocked upwards.

"I'm Yu, this is Tahno and Nergui." The firebender responded, his voice calm and even.

"Well, Yu, Tahno and Nergui you have been wandering in circles for the past few hours now. Outsiders like you should have hired a guide."

Tahno flushed, since when he got off the train he thought he was above having to hire one. _How hard could it be? _He had thought, his pride getting in the way.

"We didn't need one." He defended crossing his arms.

She let out a belly laugh that cackled. "You slay me pretty-boy! What is it with men and asking for directions?"

"Well..." He responded, glowering at the girl, "Why have you been following us?"

"I was going to kill you for trespassing on my father's land, but for some reason I stayed my bow."

In an instant Tahno pulled the sword from the sheath, Yu's hand was on fire and Nergui's back became impossibly straighter.

But even quicker was the girl, Ran, her bow already loaded as she pointed the fine, the business end of the arrow right at the former waterbender.

At the sight, Yu shot a blast of fire at her, his friendly face becoming a hardened expressionless mask that made him look many years older. She quickly fell to the ground, rolled gracefully and was up again, the bow still loaded as she whipped around Nergui's frame and pointed the arrow at the firebender. Behind them, the tree she had been in blazed, lightning up the meadow as the sun had begun descending behind the tree line.

She spotted the inferno, her eyes becoming hard and the smirk leaving her face for a fierce glare as she fired.

_Twang! _The arrow shot out and rushed towards Yu, but the former waterbender shot forward, slicing the wood with his sword, before turning and rushing towards her. His glove activated and metal lit up like a stormy sky, electricity dancing along the smooth silver-coloured blade.

She ducked gracefully under all his unprofessional strokes, but what he lacked in practice Tahno made up in speed and agility, his body swinging the blade like it was made of water, and he was bending again. With a close call, he watched as a few of those dark red blades of hair float to the grass.

Yu had shuffled around and with an equally graceful roll he was beside her, jutting his lit palms out and she quickly bent her entire back into an arch before kicking a leg out, catching his ankle and sending the firebender crashing into Tahno. It would have been easy to dodge each other if it weren't for Yu has to twist his body to keep the flame on his palms from burning his friend, and the dark teen had to hold the blade above them.

Nergui, in the mean time grunted, and the earth shook and the girl came crashing down. But she up again, twisting and jumping before her bow was loaded again, and pointed right at Yu, on the exact opposite side of the burning tree where she had stood before. She huffed, her slender chest heaving along with Yu's, and her brown eyes were hard.

Then, behind them came a growl, and like a shadow slinking from the tree line was a midnight black dog of some sort. His eyes were like fire as he came out from behind the burning tree, sharp white teeth bared. He snapped, his shoulder standing above Tahno's hip, the largest animal Tahno had seen besides Naga and the Sky Bison.

"Make a move, hotshot," She warned, drawing their eyes to her, "And I won't have to feed my dog tonight."

With the fire behind them, catching from tree to tree, four people stood at an impasse- muscle clenched and ready fight.

* * *

_The dark teen groaned, and suddenly he was no longer in the pouring rain, but was standing in a prison cell, completely empty. He noted that it was where he met the two buffoons he had been traveling with- friends; a voice muttered in the back of his head that sounded a lot like his conscience, they're your friends. A light flickered, and the bars slammed shut, leaving him locked in again._

"_I have no desire to stay here, whatever it is keeping me here, so, if you could send me back to Korra, it'd be peachy." He tried to joked, but a shadow slinked across the wall making any mirth in him die._

_Yu, suddenly was standing by the bed, and Tahno startled. "Yu! Thank spirits! Can you get us out of here, like before?"_

_Yu stepped out of the shadow and he didn't look like him- well, he did, but there was something about him that had that sinister gleam to it- like it wasn't being hidden by his sweetness at all._

"_And go where, Tahno?" He asked his voice hard and cold, unlike the fire he bent._

"_Anywhere is better than prison. You know that." _

"_How do you know what I know?" He asked, walking like a vulture around the dark teen, "What do you __**really**__ know about me Tahno?"_

"_You're a happy go-lucky bubbling buffoon, who's really good at firebending and booking us wrong hotel rooms." Tahno chuckled, again trying to lighten the mood. _

"_Do you know why I got imprisoned?" _

"_Destruction of public property, right?"_

_Yu smiled, and suddenly stepped out of the shadow, "Hmm... let's find out!" With a jump he rushed forward and placed his hands on Tahno shoulders. The world became a spinning ball of light, blinding and full of colours and sucked the two into someplace beyond the known world._

* * *

_There it is! Please please please tell me what you think!_

_I kind of like Ran, she's my kick ass non-bender for this story, though recently another OC for MUCH later (as in very very very VERY much later) has been brewing. I need another Republic City-er. Too many foreigners. _

_Hope everyone has had an amazing 2012- and gets an even better 2013._


	21. Chapter Nineteen

_Okay readers- are you still there?- I have another chapter for you!_

_This one is shorter, but I think any of you who like my dearest Yu will know that a) the following song lyric you are about to read relates to him and b) you are about to discover something about our sweet that makes his presence in Republic City a lot more clear. _

_My exams are over (WOOT!) and my next semester starts Thursday so I'll have all today and tomorrow to do NOTHING and I pretty much plan on just writing this because this chapter makes me so excited to keep going so keep your eyes on your inbox 'cause I might be posting more chapters!_

_Another great thing that happened, in case you want to know, is the writer's craft final project that sucked me away from this story and zapped all my creativity- five months of writing a children's story and having to dumb-down my vocabulary sucked- was marked and I got a 99%! Woot! One of the highest marks she ever gave out! DAMMNNN STRAIGHT. __[But really it was because of my killer amount of rough work and my organizational skills when I handed it in. All neat and tidy and easy for her to find!]_

_I hope that everyone likes this chapter and I cannot wait to see you're reactions so R&R!_

* * *

_Holy water/ cannot help you now/ see I've come to burn/ you're kingdom down/ and no rivers/ and no lakes/ can put the fire out/ I'm gonna raise the stakes/ I'm gonna smoke you out._

* * *

_Tahno was standing in front of what was now ruins, the smoke still bellowed into the sky and the parts of the building blazed relentlessly. He walked with caution into what stood of the doors, a simple metal frame, looking lose but still there, even though there wasn't any wall around it. There was people, the police, the firefighters and rescue workers still scrambling about, but none of them seemed to see him. He didn't bother to call out to anyone anyway._

_ With the wind, a small piece of paper brushed up and wrapped around his calf. Bending over to look at it he noted that it was still intact despite one burnt edge. _

_ Then it clicked._

_ He was the Huang Building, the most elite travel agency and hotel chain and also home of the famous accident a few years ago. The entire building and corporation, including Mr. Huang- who had not sons or daughters- had burnt to the ground, the business had closed, and no one ever was able to figure out how the fire started. _

_Why would Yu take him here?_

_ "__There was a lot of property." He had said earlier._

_There was a lot of property._

_**There was a lot of property!**_

_Spirits damn it was Huan Yu the mystery cause of the fire? No no no no no no no._

_Yes he's a little weird, but hundreds of people died in this accident, Yu, happily go lucky, sweet as cherries Yu would never- _

_Would he?_

_What do you really know about him, Tahno? What do you **know?**  
_

_ But why Mr. Huang's company? The dark teen looked down at the flyer in his hand, the large travel agency was one used by the richest people in the entire world. Explore, it read, explore the Air Temples, the Caves of Old Ba Sing Se and now, starting in the fall, explore the ruins of the once great Sun Warrior temples! Unearth things that have rested for hundreds of years! Now the best archaeologist in Republic City can be you!_

_ Explore- what didn't Yu want them to explore?_

_ What didn't he want them to unearth?_

* * *

The moment of strict silence turned the forest into a battle zone, the fire blazing the ancient trees like torches. The three young men were positive they could take the young nonbender, but the growing, chopping dog-wolf behind them made Tahno uneasy. He never liked dogs; they were too large, stupid and overall much too great and dangerous. Cats, on the other hand, were independent, aloof and far more intelligent.

The massive jaw on the beast snapped shut and reopened- the sound a ripping thunderclap.

Suddenly, Yu began to laugh- a slow, languid chuckle that rolled into a hearty laugh that was a different in tone than Tahno heard him use before. It wasn't his giggles, or his sly smiles. It was huskier, deeper and a lot more _real_.

For a moment, Tahno thought he was hearing the real Yu for the first time.

But what surprised him even more was that the girl, Ran, began chuckling as well- her body shaking with a laugh that was deep but feminine. Her freckled nose crinkled but her eyes stayed open and she lowered her bow. Their laughs blended along the forest and the dog backed down- disappearing back to the shadow.

Tahno's eyes fell to Nergui, wondering if the large mountain man understood what was going on. Tahno lowered his stance when he saw that Nergui was standing in a peaceful sort of silence.

"Smart move, Hot Shot." She giggled, and her entire posture relaxed as she swaggered towards them.

"Will you show us the way?" He smiled his tone still completely different, _real_ perhaps, _the real Huan Yu._

"Yeah, I can," She chuckled, and without the bow raised she was rather pretty, "If you put out this fire. You're lucky city-dwellers came across me and not one of my brothers. They wouldn't have left you alive for trespassing."

Nergui turned and with a shake, the trees that were lit disappeared under the ground, as if the earth suddenly swallowed the fire whole.

"Well, that's one way to do it."

She and Yu began walking east, ahead of him and Nergui their voices taunting each other back and forth.

Tahno turned towards the silent earthbender in question.

"What just happened?" He questioned, "Did we just make a friend?"

The large man shrugged without moving- and Tahno sighed.

"My life is becoming increasingly weirder as the days roll on."

* * *

"_Yu!" He called, "Why did you take me here Yu?" He stumbled about the ashes still clutching the piece of paper in his hand; finally he made it to the back of the building. It was the strangest thing, for the fire did not burn him, the falling beams didn't hurt him nor did the smoke hinder his breathing._

_Finally, he saw a figure. A boy-man stood in the ashes. His head was shaved with only a pony-tail, a classic Fire Nation style that he thought died out outside the mainland, and Tahno called out to him, but the figure couldn't hear._

"_Hey! You should get out of here!" _

_But right, yeah, I'm not actually here, he thought when the boy-man didn't respond. But his shoulders were shaking, his fist clenched at the sides and he his voice, husky and deep whispered to the smoke:_

"_It is done. My calling is done."_

_He turned, and Tahno got one partial glimpse of his face before he was sucked back into the whirling changing colours. There was a straight nose, gold eyes and red smeared face paint. _

_Then he was standing knee deep in the snow, on a ranging mountain top._

* * *

"_Yu, you'll need to cauterize the wound." A voice said painfully, and two gold eyes blinked with determination and guilt as they swam across his vision._

"_Forgive me, my friend." _

_Then there was just burning, he was burning, and he longed for the cold, sweet blue of Korra._

* * *

"_You're learning," A silky voice called, white light burning like the flames that blazed through him, "You already know the answers you seek,"_

_You already know._

_You already know._

_You already know._

* * *

_Seven devils all around you/ seven devils in your house/ See I was dead when I woke up this morning/ and I'll be dead before the day is done._

* * *

_It was going to be longer but I dropped a bomb on you. _

_A bomb that probably will not come into play until later, but for now it rests in your hands dear readers._

_Off to write the next chapter! _

_Remember to tell me what you think!- I am afraid my long absence has sorely effected my number of readers, so let me know that there still are people that are interested! _

_Or let me know if there is stuff you don't like too, the only person who reads these chapters before you is me, so I have no feedback until you give it to me!_


	22. Howl: Outtake

_Since I haven't posted an outtake for a VERY long time and I was trying to establish Ran a little more, here is her outtake, which didn't make it into the chapter since I didn't want to break from Tahno's POV- leave the sespence one who the girl with the bow could be. _

_It's short, it was just supposed to be at the beginning of a few chapters back but I deleted it- and then I rewrote it today._

* * *

If you could only see/ the beast you made of me/ I held it in but now it seems/ you set it running free

* * *

It was said that she could climb before she could walk. And as she bounded through the tops of the trees as lithe as a flying squirrel-monkey she felt as though what they said was true. She was never unsure of her climbing, she never-ever fell, but she was plunging through the forest at such a top speed that she might as well have been running along the ground.

It was said that she could shoot a bow before she could read. If the comfort she took in the light weighted wood against her back was anything to go by, she'd be inclined to believe them. She had seven elder brothers, each larger, stronger and wilder than the last. It was by no chance that she was, the youngest, was the wildest.

She was just like the beast the chanced after her meters down at the forest floor.

It was wolf, black as night. They had found each other when they were just pups, abandoned by their mothers. He had howled to the darkness, and she had howled back and they found each other in a small den to wait out the night and the winter. He had kept her warm, and she had kept the little wolf company as the winter ate through the forest and they were sure that they would die.

Two filthy, lost wild things that found strength in each other deep in the woods.

The strength to continue, to survive.

The great beast she had then called Kali and he grew and grew and grew until he stood up to her chest and when the snows had melted they had returned back to the village, two wolves brave and strong.

She hopped from branch to branch knowing that her great shadow was never far behind. She was approaching the edges of her father's land, the great forest that her family had protected for generations when there were voices on the wind and she stopped dead, her ears keen.

Then she broke into a grin for the voice that carried through the forest was cursing in the most creative manner.

Quietly she changed her direction towards the voices and came across a city dweller. He had dark hair done up in a city-dweller style and he wore city-dweller clothing. One his hip was a sword and in his hand, or on his hand, was some sort of metal glove with a little light on it.

But then she realized he was not alone.

Beside him was a huge, hulking man the size of her brothers, with broad shoulders and scars across his cheek. But he was much quieter than any of the seven siblings she lived with- and his hair was a simple black instead of the bright fire-esque auburn her brothers had and his nose was free of the splattered freckles.

Her brothers would not be nearly as silent walking casually through the forest. When they were hunting- animals or people- sure they could become as quiet as the still mornings but when they were just together- laughing, singing and belching usually ensued.

In front of them all was a lithe figure wearing Fire Nation reds, and like the large figure he didn't make a noise as he walked deftly over the branches and around the trees. She feared he'd be a fire bender, for they had a terrible tendency to burn things- on purpose or not- and as the blood of the Keeper of the Trees it was her duty to protect each oak, maple, willow and sapling.

With her mind made up she drew her bow to her cheek, her breath became still and focused and she aimed her arrow at the red figure at the front of the pack.

They say that she never wavered, that the wildest wolf in Okojin Forest would never stop hunting her prey. But she didn't think she could believe that now, for when the red clad figure turned to his companions she caught piercing gold eyes-the echo of Kali's, but filled with secrets- her bow stayed.

And for a moment, for reasons unknown, the great wolf heeled.

* * *

_A little insight into Ran, she's got a big history to her. A survival story. _

_In case anyone was wondering, I was doing some pondering and realized that I never stated ages for my characters. So in the story Tahno is 19, Yu is 18, Nergui is 24 and Ran is 17._


	23. Chapter Twenty

_A few things to say before you guys read this one._

_A) I am really super excited in the direction this is going in! I can't wait to the reveal chapter which should be coming up VERY soon. Chapter twenty five maybe, depending on how long I make the chapters. Maybe over that._

_B) The last few chapters thankfully one new follower (Thanks again Lovely Rain Dancer)_

_C) this chapter cracked almost 3000 words! Biggest chapter since I think the first one (Back when this was going to be a one-shot)_

_D) Where are all my readers?! The last few chapters have gotten NO LOVE or views. D:! Have I bored you all with my lack of Korra? Because trust me she'll be in soon after what was mentioned in point A and Tahno will have a one track mind let me tell you. I really hope that you guys have just been busy, but please if you have time, send me some love for this story because you guys are literally the thing that keeps me writing. **I love the story, but if no one else does I'll move one to something new.** [as much as it saddens me to think of having to do it]._

_I have to build Tahno's character so much because he has a basically no existent role in the show, and I am trying to turn him from a cheating-jerk to a world-saving and world class banter-er. _

_I feel like I am in one of the apocalypse movies, praying I'm not the only survivour and at that moment when they find the working radio "If there is anyone out there! Please make contact!" _

* * *

_Spare me your judgement/ and spare me your dreams/ cause recently mine/ have been tearing my seams_

* * *

Tahno had this habit of finding himself in odder and odder situations as the days wore on.

For example, in the middle of a storm, he had somehow become friends with his former rival Avatar Korra.

Somewhere along there he had started to develop strange (romantic) feelings for her that made him feel entirely (wonderful) awkward.

Then, he was sent to jail. Not something he wanted to remember, for Tahno fashioned himself a rule breaker, not a LAW breaker.

Somewhere along there he had started to develop a friendship with the happy-go-lucky (bipolar) firebender and the silent (and judgemental) earth bender.

Then, he broke out of jail with the two cellmates, stole Equalist weapons and started using his father's sword.

Somewhere along there he had forgotten to feel sorry for himself and his lost bending.

Then, he through the influence of a floating translucent woman in his dreams, willingly thought back on his childhood and his deceased father.

Somewhere along THERE he had decided to go back to the gods-forsaken swamp he was born in.

Oh, and hike. Which was probably the **last** thing he thought he'd ever do.

Now the former-waterbender sword fighting friend-zoned vigilante was having dinner with strangers.

Now, that might not seem so odd for Tahno, meaning he had dinner with his fair share of women he didn't quite (not-at-all) remember their encounters (names), but this was by far the strangest dinner he had ever had with a girl.

Ran, the crazy bow girl with the wolf-dog had take the rag-tag team of hikers (two hikers and a stumbler) back to her house for dinner and the night before heading out in the morning. She had told them on the long hike to her village that she had brothers, which didn't bother Tahno.

But she just didn't tell them that she had BROTHERS.

Akio Da Gang had seven sons. SEVEN. Each more boisterous and fire headed as the last. In Republic City the residents had all types of hair, some died red, and some the more natural auburn. But the men of Okojin Province had hair so red-auburn that it looked like flame on the top of their head, coming out of their faces instead of beards, dancing along their arms and chests burning freckles into their skin.

Akio himself was still a large man with a proud straight back, but white haired and long bearded. He was quiet and had the commanding presence of one of those old Fire Nation generals- were you were quiet in his presence because you felt the old man could still whip your butt back into the hundred year war. Although his sons didn't seem to heed the warning.

Their names were Ichirou, Jirou, Saburou, Shirou, Gorou, Rokuro and Shichiro Da Gang. Each was larger and fiercer in appearance that the last and with seemingly more unpronounceable names.

The eldest, Ichirou had grey streaks in his clam-tone (compared to his brothers) hair, had no freckles and a wise and calm face. He had his own wife and children, whom Tahno met briefly as the fire-headed children ran about the village with all the vigour in their play as the airbending children that belonged to Councilmen Tahno. Unfortunately, he went back to his swelled-with-child wife who leaned against the doorway to watch the city-dwellers enter into her village.

Jirou as well as married with children, and he was the leanest of the men in the family, and probably the most non-Da Gang like son. He had long almost black hair, which was apparently the hue old Akio had once upon a time- with only stubborn streaks of auburn surviving it. His pencil thin mustache matched his weasel like face and he held- as Tahno learned throughout the night- the place as treasurer for the family and village finances and often when to Omashu to pay taxes to the King.

But as Tahno also learned, he was more terrifying then any of the brothers with his lightning quick reflexes and sly expression.

Saburou was a wild as his sister. His hair was the most fire-like and was barely held back in the tight braid his elder brothers favoured. His thick beard was the same bright colour and you could barely see his green eyes over his smothering of freckles. He was large, just about as large as Nergui but LOUD.

As in, the dark teen found himself jumping every time Saburou goes to speak at his deafening decibel.

Shirou was next, a slight tamer version of his older brother in volume and raggedness but he had a large war hammer that he liked to show off (nearly crush) to Tahno and when he spun it and hit a nearby rock, the spirits damned rock shattered and Shirou have this huge grin that pushed his freckles up into his brown eyes and bellowed a laugh at Tahno's not amused (terrified) expression.

The next two, Gorou and Rokuro were twins and looks so identical that the dark teen couldn't tell which one was which. They were leaner like Jirou but deadly with a bow and arrow, and their auburn hair was left shaggy to their shoulders and almost pin straight. Unlike most the brothers, they were also thin in the face like Ran instead of square headed and they made it a habit to rummaged through others (Tahno's) things and steal what they found interesting (funny) such as personal products (hair gel) that seemed to be a foreign (hilarious) concept to the savages (manly) Ga Dang boys.

The youngest was Shichiro who was Yu age and was so covered in freckles that it almost hurt Tahno to look at him. He was the first to sweep Ran into a large hug and spin her around to the point where the dark teen feared for the tiny Ran's safety in the giant's arms. He was almost the most simple minded of the brothers for he didn't seem to get any of Tahno cleverly worded comments (insults) that he overheard during dinner.

Yu fit in just fine after he made some dazzling (over dramatic) light show of firebending that wooed the simple minded (fun loving) members of the Ga Dang family. Nergui was built from the same mold, and it seemed that not even other mountains messed with the mountains, and silent Nergui was left alone.

Tahno, on the other hand, was tormented.

His wrist and hand almost broke when the giants shook it.

He almost was being fattened up (fed generously) with dumplings, thick cheeses and other bready items at dinner.

He almost got crushed as the desert was brought out as the two brothers Shichiro and Saburou decided to fight for the first (and last) piece.

And when it was time for bed, Gorou and Rokuro stole his brush and comb and he didn't get to tame his hair from all the hiking he had done and went to sleep with wild and knotted (slightly out of place) hair.

Then, Shichiro who forced (offered) Tahno sleep in his room (his bed) snored so loud from his spot (on the floor) that Tahno found himself lying awake and staring at the ceiling with bloodshot eyes.

All he knew is if Ran had told him about her brothers, he would have kept hiking.

* * *

_The wind howled as he stood on top of the mountain side, and it was colder than anywhere he ever experienced and in this blinding white he was able to see a figure. There, sitting in the snow was a little child, and when the dark teen squinted he could see two bright gold-green points in the white out. Her little face was ruddy with tears, and she clutched her ankle in agony._

"_Nergui!" She howled to the wind, "Nergui help!" _

_Tahno rushed closer, called out to her but the poor little girl didn't seem to hear. She shivered in her fur jacket and whimpered._

"_Nergui!"_

* * *

"Good Mornin' city boy." Suddenly Tahno turned his burning, unblinking eyes to the bright brown ones looking down at him. Ran, with her auburn hair in her apparently signature braid, was smirking- for she didn't smile, she only smirked- down at him with her freckles insulting him in ways that only his sleep deprived mind could come up with.

"I hate you." He said simply, letting his violet eyes blink for the first time in what seemed like hours. When they opened again, Ran was smirking even deeper, her face only inches from mine.

"No," She said simply, mischief in every little brownish dot across her angled face, and then she suddenly grabbed his ankles and with surprising strength for someone her size pulled him out of the bed all the way down to the hard wooden floor, "Now you hate me. Get up, you need to eat. We have a long glorious day of hiking to get to the swamp village."

"Woah, little girl!" He huffed, rolling himself off the floor "Hiking to the swamp village? No you are finding us passage to Omashu, to take the train to the swamp village."

"That's a waste of time, concrete-for-brains; I can take you right to the village. Sure, the terrain is a little rougher, but at least three days time will be taken off your trip." She stated in a matter of fact way, placing her little bony hands on her hips defiantly.

"That; is not what I am paying you for." He tried again, and Tahno found himself losing his patience with the wild, the wild girl and her wild family.

"Well, ain't that somethin' to cry about." She drawled, "I'm sure the spirits would love to hear you little problem. Now come on coal-guzzler, let see if there is still food to eat."

Screeching internally in frustration he followed her as she sauntered out of her brothers room and towards the great dining room he had eaten in the night before. Yu was perched happily next to the twins, identical smiles on all three of their faces when they saw Tahno sans-hair gel, and Nergui had parked his hulk quietly next to old man Akio.

"Mornin' sis," Shichiro called and patted the seat next to him, "Saved ya some grub."

"Some grub," Tahno muttered distastefully, noting that he was paler, thinner, darker and all the more intelligent (miserable) than everyone else in this room, "What in the name of Koh is grub? It better not be as gray-brown and lumpy as it sounds."

"You're just lucky I didn't kill you yesterday, smoke-breather, and that you have something to eat at all." Ran responded, digging her elbow sharply into his ribs.

Wheezing, he took a seat beside her and was passed a bowl of porridge looking stuff, thick (lumpy) and steaming with thankfully fresh strawberries sitting on top. He took the wooden spoon and took a small bite, finding that it had the texture of paste, but was rich with molasses and honey, and all together edible (delicious) enough for him to finish the bowl and keep it down. The milk however was sweet and thick and fatty, and when he asked what it was, one of the brothers responded with "Well, that's boar-yak milk of course" which caused Tahno to spit the entire contents out all over the youngest son. Shichiro was kind enough to laugh it off though- even though he brothers did most of the laughing and pointing. Then, to his surprise (delight) there was a bowl of ripe moon peaches sitting on the table, quickly he snatched the biggest, pinkest one that looked as if it was about to burst and took a generous bite, almost squealing with joy as the sweet juices dripped down his chin. The spirits _blessed_ thing was much riper and fresher than any he got in Republic City and now that it was bright outside, Tahno could see a small orchard of trees (some moon peaches, some pomegranates, some perhaps cherries or mangos) and knew that someone must have collected these this morning.

"You like moon peaches, huh?" Ran asked as she reached for one of her own, but she took a knife and made a slice in it, plopping the peach into her mouth. When he only nodded and swallowed happily, she laughed and cut herself another slice, "Me too. Father always wakes up early, just as the sun is rising and picks the freshest fruits. The strawberries, the peaches, everything."

Tahno found his eyes locking on Mr. Akio as she spoke and nothing about his stiff behaviour seemed to point to a fruit picking connoisseur. "He's done it ever since my mother died," She murmured softly, twirling what was left of the peach in her hand, "She used to do it, to have fresh fruit for him, but when she died, he took to doing it himself. I think it reminds him of her."

His eyes didn't even register the hidden heartbreak in Akio Da Gang's faded brown eyes, or the subtle sadness in his daughter's as she looked pensive at the fruit in her hands, all he saw was his father's sword calloused hands twirling the may flowers into a laurel in the garden of his old townhouse, a slight smile on his weathered face as he quietly made the wreaths in the fading twilight.

"Don't think it's because he's weak or something," She suddenly said defensively, pulling Tahno out of his memory, "He does it-"

"Well. This was the freshest moon peach I've ever had." He ended the conversation quickly and got up to take a walk.

Ran, for once in the short time he knew her, had nothing to say and allowed him to walk out the front door and wander out of the house.

* * *

"_Little girl! Hey, little girl!" He called, and hovered over her, only to find that the snow went right through him to blow against her face._

_Suddenly, a large figure appeared and he scarcely recognized Nergui. There was no scars across his eye, and he leaned down and tenderly whipped the tears from the little girl's face, and she looked significantly less petrified. _

"_You're safe now, Kushi," He murmured sweetly in the storm, "No more crying. The wolf doesn't cry."_

"_The wolf doesn't cry." She repeated and clutched a little stone wolf carving around her neck. To echo their moment, a giant wolf howled and jumped out of the snow at the large man. Nergui gritted out what might have been the closest to a scream as he ever would give, the blood gushing from his eye from the wolf's large claws. He wrestled the beast down, and the two of them seemed to tumble from the mountain side, leaving the little girl to cry out in fear, alone in the snow as she watched her guardian fall off the cliff side._

* * *

He found himself in a garden of orchids that was well cared for, a small stone shrine on the ground which brought even more to his mind that laurel his father would weave. Then it changed to the fading blue of Korra's eyes the night he found herself slumped against that tree.

There was morning dew on the leaves and for a moment Tahno thought he'd bend it. When it put his hand out to do so, with much less vigour then he had done in the past, it seemed to quiver, shaking in anticipation and Tahno felt his senses becoming heightened like he could see inside ever single orchid to the water inside.

There was woman standing there, in front of him when this happened, on top of the shrine, with fire-auburn hair and looking a lot like Ran. Then she changed to his own mother, on her head a laurel of orchids and then to the translucent white woman who smiled at him with knowing smile.

_You already know. You already know._

If he hadn't been so aware, he would have missed two drops of dew colliding together and lifting slightly off the leaf, before dripping down like usual.

And for some strange reason, his eyes welled with unwanted tears- but they did not fall.

No, they wouldn't fall.

* * *

_My father. My mother. Yu's destruction. My bending. The white lady. Nergui's little girl. What it the connection? Why are you showing me all these things?_

_You already know. You already know. _

_Tahno, you already know._

* * *

_So there it is. If you made it all the way down here, *sniff sniff* it wouldn't be too much to enter a little something in the box below *sniff sniff* *puppy-dog-eyes* would it?_

_PS don't worry about remembering all Ran's brother's names. Tahno won't so you shouldn't bother. And all there names (roughly) correspond to the order in which they are born. They mean, if I remember correctly when I made up these characters back at like chapter 6, first-son, second-son etc etc._


	24. Author's Note for Those Who Are Confused

Ah, so some people are confused that's why.

So let me try to clear up what is going on in the plot. If you are confused, don't worry you're not dumb or something, some parts of it were meant to be confusing because Tahno, the main character, is confused.

ALSO for those who understand there are **some minor spoilers** under this sentence and if you don't want to know anything about what is happening in this story before it happens: DO NOT READ BELOW.

* * *

First: a few chapters back, with Korra, it is said that Tahno is dying. THIS IS TRUE. But this is happening in the "future". Right now Tahno is meeting Ran and her family. This is the part not in italics that will tell you eventually** how Tahno gets to the point of dying and why he rushed back to Republic City.**

* * *

During this time, the 'present': He is on a quest to the swamp to find the woman he saw in his dream: the glowing, translucent woman (hint YUE) who tells him that there is something important he needs to know (HINT the loss of his bending is actually because of bloodbending).

She is telling him he already knows (that Amon is a bloodbender) which correlates with the reveal that will come up. He knows this because of the encounters mentioned below.

* * *

Second: Yue as well is showing **the dying Tahno** events from his companion's life for reasons TAHNO DOESN'T KNOW. _This is why it is confusing_. This is what is going on in italics. This is** what he is seeing as he is dying**. As well the events in italics could be him dying, like when the wound needed to be cauterized, but they are just to remind you of the hectic-ness that is the battle (cough cough when team avatar fights Amon cough Tahno will be there cough).

This is supposed to be kind of confusing, because Tahno doesn't realize what's going all.

* * *

So, there are two plots: Tahno right now (meeting Ran going to the swamp) and Tahno's 'spirit world' esque journey that Yue is taking him on as he sees all the events that will make him understand how he knows what he _already knows_.

* * *

SO here is what the **10 things you need to have understood** from the last twenty chapters of Unlikely should you be confused:

1. Haun Yu and Nergui come from questionable backgrounds.

2. Don't believe much of what Yu says EVER. He has a big secret that he only told one certain member of the White Lotus

3. Tahno's father was a member of the White Lotus

is on a quest to the swamp to see Yue

5. Tahno is dying, but main block of the story is going to tell you **how he got there**

6, The second block of the story in _italics_ is Tahno on a spirit world-esque journey (the reveal will correlate with him waking up from his wound)

7. There is something in either old ba sing se, the air temples of the sun warriors island that Huan Yu had to stop the tourist company from finding

8. Nergui's story is just a sort of side story, it is his past, but will explain how Nergui got to Republic City and in jail

9. Ran survived an entire winter out in the wild with her wolf, Kali, when she was younger. Her name means and her symbol is the orchid.

10. Tahno already knows Amon is a bloodbender due to his father's, his mother's Ran's, Yu's, Nergui's and his own past experiences. But he has put the pieces of the puzzle together.

All the people in Tahno's life are connected because Yue put them on the path to meet. They all had something happen to them that points to Amon being a bloodbender. Tahno is trying to place all the pieces together. But before he can do that, he must know the pieces.

And once he completes the puzzle, he'll be on his way back to Korra to tell her what he knows.

* * *

SO final review: normal font= present day Tahno._ Italic font= Dying Tahno's spirit world journey._

* * *

_Hopefully that cleared things up without revealing too much. I didn't want to give spoilers but I wanted to make sure I hadn't lost people. _


	25. Author's Note About A Rewrite

Sorry it's been such a long time, I've been deciding my future basically in the past couple of months because of school, so I haven't really had the time, or inspiration to be perfectly honest, to write.

That being said, I think the only way to continue this story is to rewrite it, so it's less confusing, and I have just the way to do so, but you'll just have to be a little patient with me. I'm going to try to rewrite it in such a way that I won't have to post it as another story, I could just change the chapters around, but I might need to post it as a whole new document.

I will let you know, of course, if this happens.

About the rewrite, not a lot of the plot will change, nor the characters, but it will just be written easier to follow,. Since I haven't been writing in so long thanks to the real world messing up my awesome world, I cannot remember how I meant to continue writing it, and I don't want to confuse people even more. That and in the first couple of chapters it didn't start out being an epic adventure story, so I am going to have to change that too.

So, if you have anything to add, or any suggestions for the rewrite I would be totally open to whatever you have to say. I should actually be able to post an update of some sort this weekend or even today, so keep on your toes.

Thanks so much for the patience and keep your eyes open!


	26. Author's Note: Rewritten

Update:

_Unlikely_ will be moved to a new story, which you can find in by simple investigation, under the new name:_ Atonement_.

I have the two part preface up and ready to go, so start checking it out. It will lead into the repeat of these chapters (rewritten and changed of course, I am going through all of them with a few new ideas and getting rid of some- and perhaps keeping some for follow up stories if the rewritten gets as much support as this one had)

If you know anyone who read this story, spread it around that it has been moved, since this will probably been the last update on _Unlikely_. Soon, I will delete the story since _Atonement_ will be up and running.

Make sure to check it out!


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